A Haunted Past
by CrazyLittleKookoo
Summary: Max has a secret, all her life she's been running from it. Now its come back, and its not going away. She has to keep her flock safe, save the world, try to live and manage a relationship. Seecrets become unveiled, can she cope? Fax, and enemies unknown.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I thought I could do it, I thought that I could run forever. The past was behind me, most of it dead. But I never expected it to haunt me, to find me. I ran through the dark streets, took a left and vaulted over a guard rail. I couldn't lead them to the flock, they didn't know, and there was no way in hell that I would put them in danger.

I looked around me, when I didn't see anything I closed my eyes and searched with my raptor hearing. My pursuers were at least two miles away and in the south. I had lost them for now.

Taking a breath to calm myself I snapped my wings open and jumped into the air. I flew in a northeast direction, coasting on the strong wind currents. Back to my family, my reason to fight to live.

We were staying in a cave that was tucked into the side of the Hawaiian beach. We had, had enough of staying at the military base. So we all agreed to spend the night out, we kitted the cave out with foam mats, blankets, pillows, a ready supply of junk food, we all had our little sections to sleep in. Nudge and Angel had claimed the far corner where they had made a sort of girls-only zone. Iggy and Gazzy were sleeping on one of the large overhangs of rock, I had no doubt that the whispered conversations they had were on making so type of explosives. Fang was lying flat out on his stomach by the remains of the fire. Everything was just as I had left it, no one had noticed I had left.

It didn't take me long to get back, with super flight speed and everything. I landed gracefully at the entrance of the cave. Why had I even left in the beginning? I had no idea. I knew that I regretted it though. They were coming. And lord help me, I couldn't protect my family. I had failed once before, now I was going to fail again. I looked at my flock all sleeping peacefully.

I walked in and sat down on my mat, I glared at the smouldering ashes of the long dead fire. And grimly thought _ashes to ashes, dust to dust, no way back from ashes, cast dust to the winds._

I was beginning to drift into sleep when a sound woke me. Just a slight scrape of one rock falling against another, so minute that I couldn't be sure it was real, the feeling of being stalked was very real though. I knew it was over. That didn't stop me from trying to save everyone though.

"Everyone U and A, quickly." I yelled.

I didn't matter if I was heard from everyone in a ten mile radius. They already knew where we were.

My brilliant little flock were up in a heartbeat. They started heading for the opening. I ran in front of them, readying for impact. Gazzy was silently helping to guide Iggy over the or around the rocks. I was two feet away from freedom when a black figure loomed in my way. Determined to get the others to safety I threw myself at the figure. Tackling whoever they were to the ground. I heard six whooshes and new the others were in the air. Giving my opponent a sharp kick in the ribs, I threw my in to the sky and spreading my wings and soaring up. Just in time as three other figure dove at the spot where I had been.

My flock had gathered into a circle three hundred feet above me so I went and joined them.

"Guys we have to move." I said in my oh so leader-ly voice.

"But who are they? What do they want? They don't look like genetically modified mutants or robots. Maybe they were local gangsters and we slept at their hangout spot. You notice how gangs have millions of different logos? Can we be a gang? I could make us logos and we could have matching uniforms like. The girls outfits will be different from boys outfits but with the same colours logos and design sort of. Could we…"

Thank you Iggy, I know you are blind but I am glad you can successfully plant your hand on Nudge's mouth and shut her up.

"No, they're not from the School but they are a threat. We've got to leave now before they get serious."

On impulse I look down and see one of the dark figures bring out a long object, he holds it a particular way that gives away what it is.

I signal for everyone to start flying out over the ocean, so we can circle around the island. We fly unpredictably and make sudden swerves, making it impossible for them to target us.

"Max! Who are they? They want to hurt you. They know you, but how?!" Angel yells as we start to get out of range.

She picked up their thoughts, if those things are who I think they are we have got a huge problem. And I don't think I can run anymore.

I look at my flock and everyone of them has a face of shock and worry. But Fang, his eyes are boring into mine, he knows there's something he doesn't know. I can't hide it from them for ever.

As I open my mouth to answer I hear a boom, I look at my flock to see if anyone was hit. Then I feel the pain. I put my hand to my right side and try to suppress to blood flowing from the wound by my ribs.

"MAX!" It seems everyone shouts. It's okay though, I can keep flying. We just have to get away, out of range.

We start flying again and we circle around twenty five miles away heading for the Navy base. I start to sag, my vision blurs. My breathing is painful and ragged.

"Max are you okay?" Gazzy asks.

I look at him, smile, and start to nod, then fall. My wings wrap around me as I fall, and I can't do nothing. I feel my strength fading. Then I feel the comfort of strong arms as someone catches me. Fang.

He will always be there for me.

I feel myself flying without wings, the others ask hushed questions if I'm okay. And Mr. Inquisitive himself answers with a, "She'll be fine once we get her to the base."

Before I go completely I think, _why are they looking for me now? It's been nearly over ten years. I thought I was free. _

Turns out I was wrong, as wrong as I can be. Which we all know is very rare for me.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N this chapters for you bookmadabs, you were my first reviewer and it was a lovely review, hope this doesn't disappoint.

**Chapter 2**

**I sat bolt upright, clutching my sides as they ached. Tears poured down my face and I tried to quiet the sobs that were roaring in my throat. **

**I glanced around quickly, to take in my surroundings. **

**Dawn was just breaking at the entrance to the cave we were in, everyone was still asleep. God, it had felt so real. I thought that they were coming for me. Everyone was safe, fast asleep. I squeezed my sides a little tighter, hugging myself for comfort. What was I doing? It was nothing but a dream. I was acting so stupid. I let out a surprised yelp as I squeezed my side and felt a raw burn. **

**I moved my hand away and on my ride side, above my second rib was a bleeding wound. What the…?**

**Okay. Maybe not **_**just **_**a dream. Wipe the tears away with my sleeve, and try to press down on the wound with the other hand. Silently I get up and start rummaging through one of our bags looking for the first aid kit, or anything that I could use.**

"**Max…?" A sleepy Angel asks.**

"**It's okay sweetie, just go back to sleep."**

**Where on earth are the bandages?**

**Angels eyes widen when she sits up and sees me bleeding. "Max!" she yells, trying to kick off her blankets that were wrapped around her legs. Her wind chime voice wakes the rest of the flock. They look at Angel and then turn to look at me and stare at the sight of the blood. All except Iggy who sit there scratching his head.**

**Fang comes over to me and pushes me gently down to the floor.**

"**Max, what happened?" Gazzy asks.**

"**Will someone please tell me what's going on. Or did you all forget that I'm blind?"**

"**Max is bleeding, Iggy." Fang states simply.**

**With a frown on his face and no more questions asked Iggy comes over to where I am, directed by the Gasman, and starts feeling my wound with light fingers.**

**I wince as he barely touches the raw edges. His frown deepens. "Max have you been shot lately?" He asks.**

**Only in my dream. "No."**

"**Well this feels like a bullet wound, but if you haven't been shot, I don't know what it is then. Fang pass me the bandages and cotton pads from my bag."**

"**So that's why I couldn't find it, it's all in your bag. Are you the flock vet now Iggy?" I speak to keep my mind off the feeling of his fingers probing my burning flesh.**

**I shake my head as the cave starts to spin, trying to focus.**

**Fang comes over with the bandages and helps Iggy to wrap up my side.**

"**What happened Max?" Fang said in his dark voice, the one that sends chills down my spine and makes him extra extra hot. No, forget I thought that.**

"**I don't really know. I just woke up and….."**

**I thought back to when I woke up crying and clutching my sides.**

"**Why were you crying?" Oh right, Angel can read minds. I forgot no privacy.**

"**You were crying?" Gazzy asks worried.**

"**It's nothing I had a bad dream, and I got a little emotional. I must have cut my side on a rock or something."**

**I tried to brush everything off, to erase the worried looks on their faces. Fang just looked at me intensely, my cheeks began to flame a little. "Or something." He whispered.**

**Iggy finished setting the bandage, he paused and placed his hand on it again, his frown deepening.**

"**Max, you're bleeding too much. And I think you've lost a lot of blood already."**

**I looked at my mat and sure enough there was a big puddle of blood there, I must've been bleeding for a while before I woke up. No wonder I was so dizzy.**

**I sighed pushing up on my feet. Fang helped me while Iggy checked that the bandages were secure.**

"**We need to get to the base. I think this scratch is going to need a little bit more attention."**

**I walked to the entrance of the cave and was about to jump into the air when strong, muscled arms wrapped around me and cradled me bridle style. Quickly I was in the air. I looked up at Fang and glared, but secretly inside I was singing for joy. I heard Angel giggle. Like I said, no privacy.**

"**I can fly myself." I tried to say it seriously and dangerously, but there was no stopping the little smile that crossed my lips.**

**Fang looked at me and he smirked, I swear my heart skipped a beat.**

"**I don't care, I see this as an opportunity to have you in my arms." As if I didn't get his meaning he tightened his arms, bringing me closer to his body. **

**Oh, heck. I might as well enjoy the flight. I curled up against his chest and rested my forehead on his shoulder. Maybe he was right, I was feeling a bit dizzy and light-headed.**

**Either way I was content to lie in his arms while he took me back to the base. **

**Then a shot of fear went through me. **_**How did I get that wound. It was only a dream. Did they…..? No, impossible, they couldn't. There was only one person who could ever effect me physically in my dreams. And that person was dead, as much as I hated that fact. They had been dead since I was four years old. **_

**That brought up a new question to my mind. Or a couple depending on how I looked at it. **_**Who is this new threat? And how did they do this?**_

**I lay in Fang's arms with a frown on my face, trying to figure something that seems oblivious, but I have a feeling is very obvious.**

**A/N Hope you liked this chapter, please review and tell me what you thought, and has any one got any suggestions for some new names. I have some picked out but I still need two boys names and three girls names, any ideas?**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N people I do NOT own Maximum Ride or any of the characters from the series, they all belong to JP. Thanx people for the cool names and all of your great comments. It will be a while till you find out the secrets _entirely,_ so I hope this gets your brain itching.

**Chapter 3**

**I sat on the hospital bed while some medic checked my wound for some way to discern how I got it. I narrowed my eyes as the pain ebbed and went then ebbed again with every tug and poke. The rest of the flock were sitting around me looking worried and anxious.**

**The medic heaved a sigh and turned back to his torture bag- sorry I meant medical bag. I saw a couple of the things he was pulling out and made a snap decision. **

"**Hey guys, why don't you go and get something to eat? Bring something back from to while you're at it."**

**The younger kids trudge reluctantly to the door, Iggy follows once I kick his shin. Fang just stays there stubbornly by my side, hovering.**

"**Just go with the kids Fang, we all missed breakfast. I'll still be here when you get back."I look pleadingly into his eyes, and send he a message in my look itself. It was something like: if you don't go when I ask you nicely, wound or no wound I will kick you out and lock the door.**

**I'm very good at sending those kind of messages.**

**Fang just looks at me with an odd expression, leans over and kisses my forehead. "You better be." He says with his lips lingering a moment.**

**Then he goes and joins the kids and Iggy.**

**I glance back at the medic reluctantly. He just smiles at me. "This is going to hurt." He said.**

"**I know."**

**Without much more said, I laid down on my side and he picked up a scalpel. Thanks to my wicked bird genes some of my skin had partly started to heal. Now according to medical community that brought a problem. Because the wound was deep it could easily get and infection especially seeing as we don't know how I got (I don't think it was the dream, that's just crazy talk). So if you have a wound like me you have to put this disinfectant liquid on it. But like I said my skin had started to heal over so that meant the nice caring medic got to slice me open some more and pour some kind of burning liquid on to an wound. And seeing as I refused to take some valium I was going to have to tough it out.**

**So he cut the wound and I bared my teeth, he poured the liquid on it and I nearly jumped off the table and punched him in his nose. Instead a sharp breath made its way up my throat. I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into my palms nearly drawing blood. **

**Eventually the burning lessened and became tolerable, heck I wasn't going to complain I had endured worse.**

"**There's no point in putting in stitches at the rate you heal it would be pointless, I'll just wrap it for now."**

**It didn't take to long for me to be sorted out, and when the medic was done I hopped up and pulled my top into place. Walked out of the room with a cheery wave and a "Thanks."**

**I didn't mean to be rude. I think it's genetic, plus I was really hungry. I had missed breakfast, had a blood loss and funnily enough felt like I had been running for my life not long ago.**

**So I rushed out of that room, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of the bandages and started walking down the hall, trying to ferret out some food.**

**Only I never made it. **

**Jeb my, ahem, **_**father**_** stopped me. If my stomach had a mind it would be thinking **_**kill him**_**. And I heartily agreed.**

"**Max, we need you to come in here for a moment."**

**I was about to say I'll put on my calendar (not that he knows I don't own a calendar) when he said four magic words. "There's food in here."**

**Well, that made up my mind. However I was still cautious when I neared the doorway, readying for some kind of new experiment or something of the like to attack me.**

**Then I saw the rest of the flock were in the room munching some food that looked really yummy. I went in willingly and sat in between Fang and Angel the rest of the flock just branched out around me on the twelve seat circle table. My mom was there, Captain Perry who had helped to save my mom a week ago, John one of the scientists, the tart Brigid Dwyer herself, and a woman in a military outfit, her name tag said Lt. Smith. She had black hair tied up into a bun, calculating blue eyes, straight away I didn't like her. There was something about that just irked me.**

**Iggy passed a plate of food along the table for me and I tucked in. No one spoke so we just all finished our meals, I may have been the last to get their meal but I was certainly not the last to finish. When I finished I picked up a bunch of grapes out of a bowl and started popping them in my mouth. **

**All of the flock finished their meals apart from nudge who was leafing through leftovers and eating what she found. **

"**Well I guess it's time we started." Jeb was about to continue when Total came barging through the door. **

"**Sorry I'm late, me and Akila were just going some wedding arrangements." he apologised as he jumped into Angels lap and started licking up some of her coke.**

"**Um okay." Jeb looked a little confused on where to begin, so I decided to help him out.**

"**Why are we here?" See it's not that hard people, it's called cutting it to the chase.**

"**Max do you know how you got your wound?" Mom asked.**

"**No." But a part of me had a dreadful feeling that I did.**

**Angels face pouted and she glared at me. "Liar."**

**Damn those scientists that gave Angel all of the good powers.**

"**Max?" Mom asked.**

**I sighed and rubbed my temples. "I don't know, exactly. But I had a dream……. And…. It was a, weird dream. I woke up and I had the wound. I must've cut myself on something in my sleep."**

**I was concentrating very hard on the here and now. Not on my dream last night. Because if Angel picked up on something she would exploit it then everyone would know what was coming. And I couldn't fight yet to protect them. It could get to dangerous. I might have to leave just to keep them…..**

"**What?!" Angel practically screamed.**

**Oh shoot! I went off track letting my mind wander over the place instead of focusing, stupid Max.**

**Everyone looked at Angel. "You can't leave us Max."**

**The everyone looked at me shocked. Apart from the military woman who looked bored.**

"**I never said I was going to leave you, I was…..""No but you thought it. You thought if you couldn't fight you would leave to protect us from…….." Her eyes got a little distant and she furrowed her brows. "Max, what are you afraid of?"And just like that the memories were so close, seething just below the surface of my mind. I could hear the screaming, the feeling of hopelessness. I quickly threw my mind into thoughts of assessing everyone in the room. Trying to get my mind of the memories I had suppressed for so long.**

"**Max, is there something you would like to share with us?" Mom asked, concerned.**

"**No, there isn't. and I'm leaving."**

**I stood to leave. I had to get in the air, feel the wind blowing away the haunting past. Live in the here and now and feel alive. Not dwell on what happened.**

"**Maximum Ride."**

**I froze, turned back and glared at Jeb. He knew something was up. Then I felt it, pressure on my mind. Someone intruding, trying to push deeper into my thoughts.**

"**Don't you dare try to use the voice connection between us to figure out what's in my mind." I growled at him.**

"**Perhaps if you shared it willingly this wouldn't be necessary." **

**The pressure kept building, so much that I put my hands to my head and winced.**

**Fang had enough and stalked up to Jeb. Fists clenching and unclenching.**

"**Whatever you're doing, stop it. It's hurting her." I knew if Jeb didn't listen fang was going to deck him, I hoped it hurt, a lot!**

**Still the pressure didn't let up. I couldn't hold it off and my mind felt like it was fracturing. The large plasma screen that hung on the wall in front of the table started to flicker on, it showed TV. snow. Just like when I had my brain attacks, the voice use to talk to me using any electrical appliance with a screen. This time my mind was broadcasting, I knew instinctively that what would show on the screen would be one of my memories, one I had tried to forget. Then everyone would see, everyone would know.**

**Everyone looked at the screen in surprise. They glance back at me and Jeb having our mental battle.**

"**What have you been hiding for so long Maximum? I thought you were the way you are because of your anger. But it's something else isn't it? You expect us to trust you when you don't even trust us."**

**Fang looked confused, shaken a little and undecided.**

**Jeb looked at the TV screen that had gone a gray and dark blue colour undefined shapes were moving around.**

**The pain of the past washed up over me, along with guilt and self loathing. My eyes got watery. It was so much harder to even try and hold back the memories now. I was doomed to remember a nightmare, and everyone in this room would see.**

"**Jeb please stop. Its not right. Look at her."**

**Jeb looked at me and took in my pained expression, everyone else turned as well at Angels words. Gasps come from the flock and my mom. Jeb looked horror-struck at what he had done. The pressure on my mind let up instantly.**

**My tears feel down my cheeks, they weren't normal tears. They were red. Blood tears. My entire body was shaking. But he had stopped I could pack the memories away again and forget about it all. Only I couldn't the memories were fresh and raw, like my wound. The screams so much louder and the desolate feeling even stronger.**

**Blood curdling screams came from the speakers attached to the screen and echoed through the room. Everyone jumped at the sound, then they looked at me again, this time in horror.**

**Fang rushed towards me, nut there was a problem.**

**It was too late. I could fight any opponent. Even myself, just not my memories.**

"**No." I gasped. Then my legs gave way and I crumpled. The rest of the flock sat frozen, Gazzy was whispering to Iggy what was going on, filling him in on the bits he couldn't see.**

**Fang caught me before I hit the floor. I had no more strength left, the only thing I could do was endure, build my strength back up and wait for my chance to build my wall around me again. To protect myself from these memories.**

**As my eyes clouded in remembrance I knew they would see the first memory that surface, I just hoped it wasn't one of the worst ones. Then it all came back to me and I knew thy could all see (except Iggy) and hear what I could. Only they couldn't feel what I felt, which was what I felt when this actually happened. The pain, anger, grief, the tiniest bit of happiness I felt it all again.**

**A/N hope you liked. Please review. I know it's long and be honest with me on what you think. It does get better I promise. In the next chapter I will use one of the names that you suggested for. Thanks for reading. I don't mind flames.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N I know I'm evil, I've built the suspension and your still not goin to find out the **_**entire**_** truth yet. For all of you who demanded this chapter to be put up enjoy.**

Chapter 4

Max POV

No, no, no, nononononono! Make it stop! I can't go through it. I don't want to remember. If I let myself see those dreadful memories, what would've been the point in fighting everyday to block them? They just might tear me apart, out of all the memories I have that are so terrible, my earliest ones were the worst.

If your heart had already suffered a trauma and was barely held together, could it stick through the reliving of the past that nearly destroyed it?

I was about to find out.

Fang POV

Max had gone totally limp in my arms, I was scared because she was crying, tears of _blood. _How the hell was that happening?

Jeb had done something, that much was clear. It was also clear that Max was in pain, and I would hurt him for it.

I didn't know what was going on, but I had a feeling that what was showing on the TV screen was what Max was seeing. The screaming coming from the speakers, stopped all of a sudden, I snapped my head up from looking at Max, to the screen. The screen was a blue black, a daunting colour. The image got more defined, and I realised the screen wasn't all one colour. It was the lighting, the background was of a cage. Not like the dog crates we were in at the school, but chain fences reaching from floor to ceiling. There were no windows at all and the only light came from the flickering overhanging light in a far hall. I focused more on the picture and in the cage was a girl, from her size I guessed her to be of the age fourteen, give or take a year. She had scabs on her arms and legs, there was dried blood on her ripped shorts and t-shirt. I looked at the girl hunched up, head on her knees in a corner of the cage, her long brown hair falling over her face.

The sound of metal slamming and heavy footsteps made us all jump, even the military woman. The girl on the screen looked up and her eyes held blazing fury. I was shocked to realize that the girl had the same features as Max and the exact same hair colour. But I knew it wasn't Max. Max's eyes were a light brown of swirling richness, this girls eyes were grey with a tint of blue.

The image zoomed out so we could see the door of the cage. Three figures stood at the door. I couldn't tell anything about them, apart from that they were male, big and extremely strong, two of them were. The third, in the middle was childlike and looked to be slumped over and sagging.

The cage door opened and the girl inside stood up and lunged forward at the three people. Only to be cut short by a chain that was linked tightly to her left wrist. Two booming laughs echoed out of the speakers and sent shivers down my spine.

Then one of them unceremoniously tossed the small figure into the cage just short of the older girls reach. The small figure was a child, a small girl of four, brown hair spilled out everywhere and she was covered in blood, she was dressed similarly to the other girl in ripped clothing. The cage door slammed shut.

The girl with the grey eyes was trying to reach the child but she couldn't reach.

"What the hell did you do to her? You bastards!" She yelled.

One of the men laughed harder and said in a cheery voice. "Some kind of experiment they wanted to try on her, don't worry. No one expects her to last the night. She'll be out of your hair soon enough Sky."

Then they both walked of, and the girl Sky, sat there eyes filled with fear as she looked at the child that lay flat on her stomach, barely moving. Sky started pulling harder on the chain, making at cut into her skin and cause old wounds to bleed again. Her fingers were just centimetres away from the child put she could stretch no more, the strain was showed on her face, it wasn't as nearly as strong as the worry on her expression.

Still stretching she whispered, "Max?"

Everything inside me froze. It couldn't be. Max had been in the school with us since, always. She had never mentioned anything in her past like this. Could there have been a darker side to the School and labs that we had never seen, that max had lived through?

One of Sky's fingers brushed Max's face, Max shifted and rolled in the direction of Sky. When she was close enough Sky gently lifted max up and cradled her in her arms. She sat in the corner, pressing her back against the wall. Sky brushed Max's hair out her face and tucked it behind her ears. I saw those beautiful brown eyes that I loved so much, they were filled with such pain. Still max smiled up at Sky. Sky had tears streaming down her face and clutched Max a little tighter, Max let out a small sound of pain and flinched. Sky stopped immediately and searched Max for injuries. She found numerous cuts, but the worst one was a huge gash running down the curve of her spine. It been poorly stitched back together and was still bleeding and looked incredibly sore. Sky laid Max down gently and went over to a metal bed that looked like a prison bunker. Sky ripped off some sheets and tore them into strips, which she then used to bandage Max up as best she could. Though Max made no sound, her shoulders shook with silent tears. When Sky had finished she gathered Max in her arms again and curled up on the bed with her. Sky stroked Max's hair.

"I promise Max, I'll get you out of here. I'll show you the sun, it's beautiful, so bright. I'll teach you to fly and you fly through the sky. The sky never ends, it just keeps on going, it gives you freedom. Birds aren't meant to be caged, you'll be free. I promise."

Max had drifted off into a fitful sleep and was only partially aware. Sky kissed her forehead and murmured comfortingly to her. All the time though Sky watched the hallways and the cage door, tense and alert. Like Max ready at a moments notice.

The image got fuzzy and eventually the screen went blank, reflecting our own images back at us.

We were all stunned at what we'd seen. I looked down at Max and wondered. _What had happened to her? What hadn't she told us?_

Max still laid in my arms and her breathing was rapid, a struggle for air. I frowned and checked her pulse. It was slow, for us.

I stood up with Max in my arms and that seemed to get everyone's attention. Dr. Martinez rushed over and started checking Max out. The flock came over to join us and some of them had tears in their eyes. Except Iggy who Angel was sending mental images of what we'd all seen to.

"We should take her to the medics. She's gone into a comatose state." Dr. M said.

Comatose? A coma?

I glared at Jeb, and left with the flock and Dr. Martinez, Total trotted after us and growled at the room.

Then we left to try and find out if we could wake up Max.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N okay this is a treat for all of you. I know I was slow on my last update so I'm going to update two chapters in one go. Enjoy and review please!

**Chapter4**

**Back to Max's POV**

**I was trapped in my own mind, I had relived one of the moments of my last experiment in that, that, that **_**Hell!**_

**I could feel my body, I was being moved, people were touching and poking me in a cynically way. I was unable to move my limbs, not even quirk my lips.**

**But I knew why. My memories were strong and brutal. Mental scarring so deep that if I let it consume me I would never be able to pull free of it.**

**So now I was in almost a sort of coma. My body had shut itself down in an attempt to boost the energy and strength I was forcing myself to use to build the walls to keep the memories out. I knew for definite everyone had seen my memory as well, I would have to answer a lot of questions. And they would require a lot of explaining.**

**Still I had flashes of experiments, of blood, monsters and Sky. **

**I hadn't let myself think of her in over ten years, not since she was murdered. She had tried so hard to keep me alive, even when the odds were against us and I was practically classed as dead, she didn't give up. She taught me to e strong. To fight, even if it seems there is nothing left, to keep fighting till the very end with your last breath.**

_**Stop it Max, forget it all. What's the point thinking of the past? None of them will ever come back, you've got to keep the flock alive, you saved them you deal with them. Sky can't help you now, you can only help yourself. You've just got to last a little longer, then you can let it all go.**_

**That was the logic part of my brain, telling me what I needed to know to get back on track. I had a purpose and right now I needed to bottle everything up behind that wall of mine and leave it there, leave everything that was a personal problem and focus on the little family I had. I could wait till it was time for me to stop fighting. **

**I don't know how long I laid there, unmoving. Waiting for the energy I had used making mental barriers to return to the rest of my body. Hours, days it could have been years, I just intellectually knew it wasn't minutes. My senses seemed to have stopped working, there were no scents and very muffled sounds made there way to my brain. Every seemed to be coming through some cotton of some sort, to block out reality.**

**Time meant nothing to me, my mind was getting stronger. I would be able to be THE Maximum Ride I once was, it must've all just overflowed after that nightmare. I would be strong again.**

**No correction, I AM strong.**

**After that revelation I started focusing more, I could feel the muscles in my body aching, I could twitch my toes and fingers, I could hear a beeping sound that kept pace with my heart. I listened more closely to it, bored. And realised that it was slow for a birdkid. Did that mean that my body had nearly shut it down completely? That was a scary thought and the beeping got faster.**

**I was determined to start moving, to move anything. I needed something to motivate me. I thought of my baby Angel, her devilish ways, Iggy and Gasman always finding a way to make bombs and stash them from me. Nudge and the constant Nudge channel. I wanted Total go around all ecstatic about his wedding so I could tell him to calm down. I wanted Jeb to say something so I could snap at him. I wanted to flirt with Fang so I could glare at her. I wanted to hug Mom so she could tell me it was all right. I wanted to be able to nick Ella's last cookie when she wasn't looking because stolen cookies always tasted better than your own. I wanted to be in fangs arm and be able to hold him back. But I couldn't my body was useless, it was still recuperating.**

**No, the thought of my family was enough, the only thing stronger in me was a murderous rage. I had used it before, to fight Max II, to get angel back, to fight Omega, to fight the Uber Director, to win against Mr. Chu, and now I was going to use it for myself. To get my body working. So I brought a thought to the front of my mind that got my blood boiling.**

**If I couldn't move how on earth could I protect the people I loved? They had no idea how evil the world could be. Sure, they had been through the school. But I had lived through the Britz of evil humanity, I had been raised at the Arena.**

**The thought of my flock in danger, my body reacted. I made myself move my hand, clench it into a fist. **

**My heartbeat got more normal and determination flashed through me along with a rebellious streak that I hadn't felt in a long time. Some of you may say, **_**but you're always rebellious.**_

**Wrong. Rebellious is not the same as stubborn.**

**I drew in a deep breath and relished in the sensation of controlling the fall and rise of my chest.**

**Then I pulled back my eyelids and glanced around the room. It was empty. No one was there. That was unusual. Where was the flock?**

**Normally if one of us got ill, someone would always stay by their side.**

**I pulled myself up and realised that I was hooked up to a bunch of machines. I was attached either by needle or these circle papers that had wires attached to them. Huh, I would have to look up on the internet what those were.**

**I pulled them out, surprisingly the circle ones with wires hurt almost as if they were glued on. Which they probably were.**

**The last to come of was the one monitoring my heartbeat, when I took it out it made a ear deafening continuous beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. In the end I just switched all of the machines plugs off.**

**I got up out of bed and realised I was in one of those hospital paper gowns, luckily I had underwear on underneath. I hunted the room till I came across a pair of ripped, faded blue jeans and a simple yellow and white stripped top with stars on it. **

**I was pulling on my converses when the door burst open and fang and the flock rushed in. Fang looked at the empty bed and yelled, "Where is she?!"**

**No one answered, and it seemed no one had noticed I was sitting on the chair on the other side of the room tying my laces. Until Angel kind of danced last through the door then over to me. She threw her arms around me and I hugged her back. It was a total feather fest as we all hugged each other, I even got a one armed attempt from Mr. Tall Dark And Brooding.**

**Mom marched through the door and had to peel everyone off of me. I was still sort of out of it. I focused and realised that everyone was talking at once. My hearing just kept coming in and out, like a volume dial being turned one way and then the other.**

**I focused on Mom, when everyone shut up and she stared into my eyes. "Max, are you all right?"**

**I smiled. "I'm perfectly okay."**

**Still everyone was looking at me funny. I frowned. What was wrong with them. Was someone hurt? The only person who wasn't here was Total. Had he gone and……..**

_**Max, no one knows what to really think. When you passed out the telly showed us your memory. We were all quite shocked. All of us have questions but we don't really want to ask them, but we do as well at the same time.**_** Angel's voice was unsure and cautious in my mind.**

**I stood up and pulled her back into my arms, squeezing tightly.**

"**I know sweetie. I guess I am going to have to tell you guys some things, after what you saw. Lets go get some lunch first then I'll explain. Okay?"**

**They nodded and I could see the spark of interest in their faces, even if it was warring with worry.**

**You know what they say. Curiosity killed the cat. Good thing most o us were bird.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N This is just a filler people until the flock gets to where I wasn't them, then secrets get unravelled and the battle begins. By the way thanks to everyone so far for the great reviews. And yes I know I'm evil, so this is going to be great. ****J**

Chapter 6

After I had gotten something to eat I took my flock, Mom and Ella outside to a cliff. I didn't want to be inside in case what I said got recorded on camera or something. Still, I could only tell them a little not the whole truth. It turned out that I had been comatose for five days, I had been kept alive by IV drips and mostly machines. Ugh, if I had things my way I would never be hooked up to those things again. Also everyone was getting lunch when I woke up, that's why I was alone, Iggy said he had to drag Fang out of the room. When I took the machines out and turned them all off, a main frame in the building registered it and everyone had thought I had died, that's why they rushed in looking so panicked.

They gave me their explanation when we sat down up on the cliff, we were all sat in a kind of circle. There were two blankets laid out which they sat on, and I sat with my back facing the ocean, close to the edge.

Once we caught up, well when I caught up, we sat in silence. They were waiting for me to explain, and I was struggling to find words to describe it all.

In the end I gave up and heaved a sigh, a defeated smile on my lips. Might as well do this. Stalling wasn't going to help.

My walls were up to block the memories, I still knew what had happened. I winced and Angel crawled over to me and sat in my lap.

"It's okay Max." she whispered.

I stroked her hair and looked at everyone when I spoke.

"Yeah it is. It's just hard to explain."I sighed and my eyes went out of focus. Where do I begin?

"Who's Sky?" Gazzy asked nervously.

I smiled, I could begin there, and avoid some details. I smiled encouragingly at Gazzy and he got a little braver and shifted closer. Total's ears perked up and Akila just lay down panting slightly.

"Sky was the first person I ever met. We looked alike, and she taught me to always fight and never give up. There was another division that was, what's the word? Above the School, more advanced, high-tech, brutal. It was like the boss, the centre of all the branches form Itex. The facility I was kept at was called the Arena, they took experiments out of other labs at an extremely young age, I think I was two months old, and send them to the Arena."

I'd have to be careful with what I say now.

Angel frowned up at me, and I thought to her. _Some things even you don't need to know, sweetie._

She was still frowning when she put her head on my shoulder, I'd have to watch my thoughts as well as my words in this case.

"I was taken to the Arena, the experiments there were more extreme, they would set to work straight away. After two years I was close enough to giving up, I didn't want to live like that, and I thought what I was experiencing was all there was to life. But they made one mistake though, they put Sky in a cell with me, she looked out for me, told me of the outside world and wonders of it. She used to love to tell me about the sun and the sky, I had never seen it, I didn't know anything could exist outside the walls of the Arena. She tried to protect me and she taught me to rebel, I was fighting the whit coats since I was three and onwards."

I looked at my family, they all seemed sad and shocked at this revelation. Everyone seemed lost in their own mind, even Angel.

I took opportunity and hoped Angel was distracted enough to not notice.

"When I was nearly five, Sky was taking for a new experiment, they told me that it had gone wrong and she didn't make it. She never came back. And I never saw her again."

I was surprised to realize Angel didn't notice my lie. It was half a lie, Sky had died, just not the way I was telling it. It had been much worse than that. I carried on. Sticking to the truth so Angel wouldn't get suspicious.

"I stayed there for two more years, I think. I was even more rebellious since I'd lost Sky. I either wanted them to kill me, or I'd cause as much trouble for them so they would have to kill me. They were surprised that I was still alive, most of the experiments they had died in a couple years, some lasted longer like I had. They wanted to make me obedient, so they tried to break me. That was another one of their mistakes. They sent me to the School, where I met you lot, where Jeb found us and where he got us out. Since then I have never thought much about my past. I tried to do as much in he present to keep you safe. And that is my past."

They all took a while to focus and notice I had stopped speaking. Angel started shaking, I looked at her and saw the tears running down her cheeks.

I hugged her tighter, then I pulled Gazzy to me into a hug when he started to cry too.

"Hey, why are you crying? It's okay, shhh." I soothed.

Gazzy and Angel started to cry harder. Mom hugged Ella as they both had watery eyes, even Iggy's unseeing eyes welled up.

"Why didn't you ever tell us? Don't you trust us Max? We're family, we trust you and…. And." Nudge had sobs clogging her throat. I pulled her into the hug with Gazzy and Angel, I even wrapped my wings around them a little.

"Nudge I do trust all of you and we are family. I was just trying to hide from my own past. I had left it behind me a long time ago, and I was happy with all of you. You were just kids, you still are, I didn't want to bring up. I had all of my memories locked up nice and tight. Well I thought I did. Till Jeb pulled that little stunt of his. I'm sorry I never told you."

We all had a group hug then, even Fang. I could feel tears wanting to be let out, but I kept them in. I was being strong for my flock.

Once we had settled back down again, I asked what we were going to do now that our mission was finished in Hawaii.

"Well, I don't know if you guys would be interested, but my friends husband is helping organize and air show and flight convention. It's all the way over in Wales in the UK. He asked if you would like to go and help represent birdkids and the CSM. What do you think?"

I looked at my flock and could see the anticipation and excitement shine of their faces. Even Fang had a smirk. And it would help promote the CSM cause to save the world, plus the flock would have a great time. It was a win win situation.

"I think we're going to Wales." I said casually.

The girls squealed, Fang, Iggy and Gazzy all slapped high fives, Total licked Akila happily, eew.

"So you know, the plane's leaving tomorrow at half past ten." Mom adds.

Nudge does a little happy dance and shouts. "Where going to the land of sheep!"

"Don't let the welsh hear you say that, unless you want to be fed to the sheep." Fang warned.

We all laughed at Nudges expression. She thought Fang was serious.

"This is going to be a BLAST!" Gazzy yells.

I froze. It is not a good thing for anyone if a pyro-bomb-enthusiasts uses the word blast in any sentence. Please, please by any god out there, don't let Iggy or Gazzy blow up Wales, part of the UK. I really did not need an angry country after us as well.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N okay people me and my mate have just got into a bet, we are going to see who get s the most reviews for their stories. I'm not going to tell you who she is cause I'm going to be nasty. So please review, review, review. Either you do or I have to clean her toilet with my toothbrush, kiss her brother and his pet frog, (maybe one of them will turn into a prince) and pay for her next shopping spree. Please help me. She doesn't know the meaning of BUDGETS. This is for all you fax lovers out there. This is an official FAX chapter.

**Chapter 7**

**I managed to get, oh I don't know four and a half hours sleep that night. I woke up and the moon was still shining. After my little story telling yesterday, we had gotten back to birdkid things. And for the first time in a long time I had done my best to avoid being alone with Fang. He just kept sending me these secret glances that I knew he knew I was embellishing the truth, that I had suffered more than I was letting on. So there I was lying in my bed glaring at the window.**

**And how do I always clear my mind? With a lovely night flight. So I jumped out of bed, and because me and Ella were sharing a room, I was careful not to wake her up. I couldn't find any of my clothes. I think I threw them at the hotel maid when she said they were dirty and needed a wash. And if any of you have a sister who is roughly your size and height, you'll know the joy of those wonderful advantages. I 'borrowed' some of Ella's clothes.**

**Ella was a little fashion queen. The simplest clothes I could find that were, shall we say not the skimpy rags she liked, (no offence Ella, but a top that is nearly see-through with carefully placed designer rips all over is not a top). So I was stuck with a pair of designer denim shorts, a designer blue tank top, and some designer flip-flops. And I don't even know or care who the designer is, so everything is just the designer to me, even a McDonalds burger is a 'designer' burger in my opinion.**

**So kitted out in my 'designer' outfit, I opened the balcony window and flew into the star bright sky. I coasted most of my way, I even managed to sneak over the Navy Base and catch to young trainees sneaking out. Good thing I wasn't a weasel. You go boys, power to the rule breakers!**

**I flew out over the ocean and saw some early morning fishers. I flew to the south side of the island where the new marine reef reserve stretched over 200 miles. This was were the Krelp (the funky radioactive mutated fish, that helped me get my mom back from Mr. Chu) were now staying. They stayed close to here and other protected areas, so they couldn't get caught in fishing nets.**

**I saw some of the Krelp and just for fun I flew low over the water, some of them bobbed up to me and did flips acting like dolphins. Most of the Krelp were like disfigured fish with open wounds. But once you get to know them like we had, thanks to a certain mind reading six year old, you begin to look beyond the surface. So I flew lower and ran my hand over one of them, unlike normal fish there scales weren't slimey. Instead they were rough like coral but had a squishy-ness to it.**

**After smoothing a few more of the Krelp, I decided to see how far I could fly **_**out **_**to sea using my super speed.**

**And with a snap decision like that, off I went. I lost myself in the pure exhilaration of the speed, the wind whipped my hair in a stream behind me, I flew high in the clouds, then down low so I could skim my wing tips in the water. I was still enjoying myself when I realised I had gone nearly 500 miles out to sea and there was nothing but ocean around me. So I turned around an flew right back. 1000 miles there and back, I think I covered in little under three hours. Yes! I had a new record. I would to apply my speed to finesse flying, cause that was just flapping without an aim. Doing tricks at high speed, would be tricky.**

**I got back to the hotel, only I didn't want to go in just yet. So I flew to the roof, five storeys up and sat there dangling my legs and watching the sun come up.**

**I sat there thinking of Wales at this flying convention gig. Me and the flock were going to put on an air show and so were the jets and a lot of other things were going to happen.**

**The last time I was in the UK, I was in England, I had half my flock and I was hunting out Schools. We didn't get to see much and it was a fly-by. (Get it? Cause we have wings and fly and we actually flew over the - oh never mind.)**

**I was thinking of either to visit England, Ireland or Scotland first after Wales. Perhaps we should just go from Wales to England to Scotland to Ireland? Yep that was the route we were going to go.**

**When strong arms wrapped around my waist pulled me up so my feet hung above the five storey drop.**

**I was stunned which was why I was late reacting. I was about to punch my assailant so he'd drop me. And no I am not crazy. For those of you who are screaming, **_**Have you forgotten the five storey DROP?!!**_

**My answer? **_**Duh, I have wings, five storeys? No problem.**_

**All my thoughts pf attacking fled when I heard a threatening voice say. "You should be very afraid Maximum Ride?"I grinned and looked at him. "Oh? Should I?"**

**Fang smirked and swung me back on to solid ground. Or should I say roof?**

**He didn't let go of my waist though, he just spun me around so was facing him and put his hands casually on my hips.**

**I didn't pull away. Instead I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest. I leant forward and brushed his lips in my hair before moving them down to my forehead, then further down past my nose. Our lips were inches apart. When I suddenly remembered why I was avoiding being alone with him earlier. And pulled away. **

"**I should get back before Ella wakes up." Even to my ears that was a lame excuse. **

**I was about to walk away when he grabbed my wrists and pulled my up against him. Heat warmed my cheeks at our closeness.**

"**Max, don't try and hide from me. If you don't want to talk about your past we don't have to. I saw **_**one **_**of your memories, and that was bad enough. But if you ever do want to talk about anything, I'm your man." He grinned.**

**Only Fang was the one person who could see straight to my problem and say a couple of magic words to make it seem like nothing. That's why I love him.**

**Damn! There I go again. And you know what? I'm not going to take that back. Hehe, I love him to much for that. **

"**Really Fang?" I looked into his dark eyes, and I felt my heart flutter when he looked right back.**

"**Sure, we don't have to talk. There are other things we can do beside talking."And with an evil grin on his face he kissed me. And it was FANGTASTIC!!! **

**He deepened the kiss and we clutched each other tighter. I let my hands work up his body. One hand around his neck and the other wrapped in his gorgeous black hair. I sighed and he deepened the kiss further when he slid his tongue in. I nearly froze, instead I joined in, following his lead. This was………..new. **

**One of Fang's hands went to my hair and his other trailed down my back, low. I pulled back gasping for, still in his embrace.**

"**I think we should stop." I said a little embarrassed.**

"**I don't." Fang growled, kissing me again.**

**It took me five minutes to remember what we were disagreeing on. I pulled back entirely this time, only keeping his hand in mine.**

"**That's why." I said as we took the emergency stairs from the roof to our room floor. All of our bedrooms were adjoining to the same kitchen and living room, with two bathrooms. I had used my Max credit card. Hoping that whoever white coat was funding me I hoped I was draining him of his wages.**

**Me and Fang walked into our hotel room and went straight to the kitchen. **

**I went to the fridge and started grabbing food. Fangs panicked voice came from behind me. "You're not cooking are you?"I glared at him over my shoulder. "No, I can get food that I don't need to cook you know. I leave all of the homey domestic stuff for the blind guy, I just get his ingredients."**

**I want back to my food scavenging. Fang wrapped an arm around me from behind and kind of leaned on me. One of the bedroom doors opened, I didn't look cause I was too busy trying to snag this delicious looking chocolate cake from the back of the fridge, and balance my arm load all ready.**

"**Here." Fang said taking the food out f my hands so I was free to snag the cake. Ha ha. Got ya.**

**I turned around to see Gazzy's terrified. **

"**Max? You're not cooking breakfast are you? It's too early for torture." He asked shakily. He looked so cute in his camo pyjamas that had an image of a tank exploding.**

**Before I could answer Iggy walked out of his room and said, "Don't worry Gaz, I'm here to save the day."**

**I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm rolling my eyes Ig." I heard him chuckle.**

"**Okay, seeing as I can't cook."**

**Iggy coughed something that sounded like, "obviously."**

**I carried on. "I'll do the cold cuts, Iggy you cook, Fang set the table and Gazzy go get everyone up for breakfast."I looked at the clock at saw that it was 9 o'clock. Wow we had an hour and a half to get ready and go. **

**I turned around and set the cake on the table. Hey I never said I ate healthy every day. I just felt like a treat. Iggy turned to the oven and flicked on the ovens expertly, turning them to a certain temperature. Normally I would turn them as high as possible so it would cook quicker, and if it got we were eating crispy tonight. Well that was just the way I am.**

**Fang gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before he turned to get the cutlery and Gazzy observed wide eyed then ran into Nudges and Angels bedroom gagging.**

**I smiled nothing would get me down today. Today was a good day. And I hoped God wouldn't slap me in the face for even thinking that.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N sorry I didn't update sooner, we had a lightening storm and everything got blown. Seeing as I couldn't type anything out I worked on some of my stories and perfected my plot on this FanFic, yeah and thanx to that stupid storm my friend has 30 more reviews, I have a sinking feeling that I'm going to lose this bet. I have till next Thursday to beat her, and I am going to try so help. Spread the word about this story and if people don't review, I shall send my personal ninja flying chimp to stand over you with a cattle prod till you type a review. I'm sorry if I'm being mean but my friend is going to cost me all of my money on this shopping spree if I lose, and I was trying to save up for a car. Damn my stupidness for taking bets. And damn her Twilight story for being so popular ****L**

**Oh, well. Enjoy this chapter, it came to me during the storm.:)**

Chapter 8

We were sitting in one of those fancy pancy government private jets. And we all know how I love these modern sardine cans. I may have gotten use to them but I still don't like them.

I was standing at the window in the corner, keeping and eye on my flock. Angel was on the floor with Total and Akila going over wedding detail. Apparently I'm going to be a maid of honour. Please don't say I have to wear a girly prissy dress. Because it is going to be incredibly hard to fly and fight with silk wrapped around you and reaching the floor.

Mom was talking to Jeb at the table with some letters from the Welsh Government between them.

Iggy and Gazzy were making Nudge use her magnetism powers to race some metal toy cars, Iggy was listening intently to the silent scrape of metal so he knew where the cars were, Nudge was making the cars do flips and wheelies. Iggy could actually see it because the table the toy cars were on was pure white. It was as good as it was going to get for him, at least they were enjoying themselves.

And where was Fang you ask? He was sitting on the sofa with his favourite under age scientist. I wasn't going to let their little chats ruin my mood, I was optionally happy today and no one was going to take that away from me. Not even Brigid's flirting with Fang, although it did make my blood boil and simmer.

The more I looked at those two sitting so close to each other looking so comfy on that sofa, the more my jealousy grew. To calm myself I turned back to the window and looked out at the clear sky.

The air was fresh this high, I knew. I knew it would feel great washing over my body like a refreshing cool shower. The wind would tug at my hair and if I tucked my wings in I could freefall for a long time before I had to worry about opening my wings. Just like that my good mood was back and I was smiling.

The sensation of flying was incredible. Possibly even better than Fang's kisses. The first time I ever flew was a cherished memory of mine.

Without much thought I drifted off into that specific memory.

_I was free. But not as free as I could be. Sky had been right, the sun was beautiful, it blazed across the sky and made everything seem wonderful, exciting and new. It almost made me think that there was no evil in the world. Almost. I wanted t be in the sky, my wings ached for the first time in my life to be used for what they were meant to do. I wanted to fly._

_Sky could fly. She had beautiful burgundy wings. Mine were different. Mine where a clear light brown with splotches and mixes of light and dark colours. They were pretty wings, but not as beautiful or as amazing as Sky's._

_I stood at the top off the mountain and flapped my wings. I even tried hopping into the air. I may have lasted a couple of seconds but gravity always won in the end. After ten minutes I huffed and sat down crossing my arms and legs, pouting._

_A quiet laugh came from behind me. Immediately I got up, and with a huge smile on my face ran into Sky's arms. She picked me up easily and swung me around. She even started to tickle me, careful of my bandaged arms, legs and chest._

_She smiled at me. "Were you trying to fly?"_

_I nodded._

"_Max, your only four. You're too young to fly yet."_

_When she said that I hopped out of her arms. And stubborn but determined I started flapping my wings again. I tried rotating my wings and flapping them at different time and in synchronisation._

_Sky sat down on a rock and started drawing in a notebook she had._

_It took e three hours before I got into the air. I was wobbling a bit, but I had gotten the hang of it. You had to flap your wings at the same time and on the down pull you had to slightly turn your wings inside, the tiniest amount about this much -. _

_Sky looked up to check on me and saw I was in the air. Her jaw dropped and so did the pencil from her hand._

_She stood up and yelled, "CHASE! Get up here NOW!"_

_A boy a little older than Sky came up through one of the tunnels in the side of the mountain. He had dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, navy coloured. He was tall and muscular with strong features. He was only wearing jeans a white vest top and scruffy grey trainers. But he was incredibly good looking._

"_What? What's wrong?"_

_Instead of answering Sky pointed up at me, I was beginning to learn the basics of flying how to angle my wings so I could turn, go up or down, all sorts. Was in the middle of doing a mid air flip when Chase saw me. His jaw dropped open._

"_She's flying?" He asked stunned._

"_Apparently so." Sky murmured awed._

_I looked at the ground and flew shakily over to them._

"_How long has she been at this?" Chase asked._

"_Umm, four hours roughly."_

_Chase turned towards her in disbelief. Sky just shrugged her shoulders._

_My wings were starting to get tired but there was a problem. _

"_Sky, Chase?" When I had their attention I continued. "How do I stop flying?""Easy just stop flapping." Chase said in a 'duh' voice._

"_No, don't tell her that!" Sky shrieked alarmed._

_It was too late though. I had closed my wings and I dropped like a hailstone. I tried to flap my wings again. I didn't want to have an impact with the floor, I was already hurt enough as it was. The floor got closer and I thought 'this is going to hurt'. Then arms pulled me up from behind, I cried out as the arms banged against my bandaged ribcage. Chase lifted me entirely into his arms and I curled up against his chest. Feeling safe._

_Chase flapped his brown wings with silver tints till we were level with the ground._

"_You okay Max?" He asked worried._

_I peeked out through the hair that had fallen over my face and saw both Sky and Chase looking down at me._

_I smiled at asked "Teach me how to land?"_

_They both smiled and we shared a hug. Chase taught me how to fly, swerve in the air, do running landings sudden drops, take offs from a spot, everything. Sky sat back drawing sketches of us. _

_We had even gathered an audience, the people that lived in the mountain with us knew about us, like we knew about them. We were friends. Accidentally I landed right on top of Anthony, the man in charge. He had black hair mussed over his head, pale skin and green gleaming eyes. I tumbled down his back and over the side of the mountain. Quickly he snagged my shirt before I got out of reach and he had to dive after me._

_I giggled as he pulled me up to his face. _

"_Having fun Max?" He asked._

_I smiled and spoke for the first time to him. "Yes."_

_He smiled more and his eyes crinkled at the side, giving him a fatherly look._

"_How's about we give Chase a break and I teach you a few things about flying?" he snapped his raven black wings out and flew with me in his arms._

_Chase landed gracefully and sat down next to Sky taking a bottle of water from a young boy. _

"_Don't drop her Anthony." Chase called up to us playfully._

_I waved down to Sky and Chase but other thought I was waving to them and waved back. I hardly ever spoke to anyone but Sky and Chase, now Anthony as well._

_Anthony flew higher than what I had been able to manage. It was fun I even tried to reach out and grab some of the clouds. I looked around at the mountains that towered up beside our mountain, the acres of woods that surrounded the mountains. I thought for a mad moment that if I could see everything, could __they__ see me. I didn't want to ever go back to the Arena. But I felt so vulnerable right then, I curled up in Anthony's arms and we stopped in mid-flight._

_He must've guessed what I was afraid of. Because he raised my chin so I could look into his eyes that seemed to old to belong to him. They had seen too much. _

"_Never be afraid of living Max, otherwise they have won. Death holds freedom for us, not an end. We will always be here for you. You may feel like you're alone but you're not."_

_I felt safer with Anthony, the way I felt in Chase and Sky's arms. It was a comforting feeling._

_Anthony chuckled to himself and grinned at me._

"_I just came up with a motto for you kid."I looked confusedly at him at he carried on regardless._

"_Live life to the Max, and have the Ride of your life. What do you think."I grinned with him not understanding what he just said but liking the way it sounded._

_Then he let go of me and I started flying, he was beginning to direct me on how to do a spiral when falling, when I -_

I pulled out of the memory. That was definitely something I didn't want to think of. My first time flying had been a wonderful experience, one of my best moments. But it then turned out to be one of my worst and most horrible.

Anthony may have said that they would be there for me, but the fact is, you can't be there for someone when you're dead.

That was final for us, and I hadn't seen any of them in over ten years. They had to be dead, even death was an escape compared to what they would do to us. Like Anthony said, even death holds freedom.

I opened my eyes and leaned my forehead against the window.

If it wasn't for those three people I would have given up a very long time ago.

But now I had my flock. Could I survive without them? Could they survive without me?

I rubbed my hands up my arms to get rid of the goose-bumps that had flooded across my skin.

**Maximum, your flock will always need you.**

Great just what I needed a stupid Voice in my head. At this particular time and moment.

_I hope not because if they are still living with me when they're 30 I think I might be worried about them. They must want to go out and live their lives somewhere, to be someone._

**No matter how you feel or think you are needed Max. **

Yeah whatever voice. As if I'm going to believe someone I haven't met and loves running around my head say who needs me and who doesn't.

I thought I heard the Voice sigh.

This was getting old, if the world was saved all ready why was the Voice still hanging around. Couldn't it just go and annoy someone else and make them insane instead if me?

I wrapped an arm around my waist and felt my hand brush across the cotton padding taped to my side it was still there?

When I went comatose, my body didn't heal the wound but it should be right as rain by now.

I walked passed my flock to the toilet. I locked the door behind me and lifted up my top to reveal my side. A square chunk of cotton padding was tapped to my right side across my bottom ribs.

I quickly ripped the padding off, stuffed it in the bin and left to enjoy watching my flock enjoy trivial things.

If I had paid more attention I would have noticed that were I was shot in my dream a black unidentifiable smudge was forming.

But I didn't notice till much later.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N thanx fro the reviews, every little helps. And to settle someones mind if my friend loses the bet she has to pay half for my first car (cause she is soooo rich), take my brother out on a date and kiss my pet dog (who slobbers a lot) the forfeits are similar but different in their own way.

But still she shops like how I breath.

**Chapter 9**

**The plane ride was one very, very long ride. Something like twelve hours seeing as the sardine can- I mean the plane needed to land halfway to refuel.**

**We were somewhere flying over Germany (I think), Brigid was talking to my mom, and the little toy car racing game had been modified so Nudge was making it look like a proper street race, the roads and ramps were made out of white so Iggy could see it. Nudge was currently making six metal cars go extra slowly over the finish line. Total and Akila were curled up together in the corner fast asleep. Angel, the Gasman and Iggy were crowding around a quickly constructed bowl, Nudge was twirling her finger around and around making the cars look like blurs. Fang was still on the sofa, silent. Shocker.**

**Jeb was reading a magazine, I didn't know they had **_**'Mad Scientists Weekly' **_**on government planes. Please notice the heavy sarcasm.**

**And I was doing what I was doing best pacing back and forth like a caged animal. After my recollection of my first time flying. I got so angry with myself. I had fixed up all my mental barriers so why was my mind reminding me of these things. It's as if I am deliberately trying to make myself go crazy. If memories are just going to pour in like that, then I'm doomed. Angel might be reading my mind during one of the truly horrible ones. I didn't want to subject her to that.**

**Why though? That was the important question. Was this all happening because of that stupid dream? And I still didn't know how I got a bullet wound from dreaming of being shot. Unless it was……**

**Argh! I cannot take it in this plane anymore. It's giving me too much time to think about things. I'm use to living on my toes not contemplating painful things like this. Answers where always simple to me. I would kill myself in a heartbeat to save my flock. I would try my best to save the world because I felt it was right. I wouldn't do drugs because I didn't want to fry my brain cells. I would rebel against the white coats because they were evil, I was taught to never give up and because I got a kick out of it.**

**But to try and find the questions and search for the answers to my past? That was one question that could be very wrong or good, but will always be painful. And I was undecided on the whole topic.**

"**I hate this!" **

**Oops. Did I just say that out loud? By all of the weird looks I'm getting from everyone, apart from the sleeping dogs, I'd take that as a yes.**

"**Max, honey?" My mom asked.**

**Angel looked like she was concentrating, in fact she and Jeb had the same look on their faces. "Both of you stay out of my mind." I glare at them.**

**I needed an excuse. Think Max think. Aha.**

"**Sorry, I'm just feeling a little anxious and claustrophobic."**

**Angel frowned, but she couldn't call me an outright liar. It was partly true after all. With various comments like 'quit worrying' and 'take a deep breath in and take a deep breath out', I decided to join Fang on the sofa. The minute I sat down his arm was around my shoulder. I leaned against him and I could feel his breath tickle my hair.**

"**What's up?""Us." I answered honestly.**

**He laughed quietly and smoothed his hand through my hair."Whatever, if you want to talk about it, I'm here."**

"**I know." I smiled and relaxed against him.**

**And get this. I, fell, asleep.**

**I woke up when the plane hopped twice when it landed. I opened my eyes and noticed everyone was gathering their stuff. Me and Fang got up holding hands.**

**We had landed in Cardiff airport. Cardiff is the capital city of Wales. We got off the plane and into a council estate limo. No I am not kidding you a freaking LIMO. The Welsh government were pulling out all the stops for welcoming us into their country. We had also been given rooms in the Angel Hotel on the outside of the city's centre. It was a modern white hotel that was kitted out with every technical thing you could need, imagine or want. Well that's what I was told by my mom in the ride over there.**

**Nudge nattered all the way there, so when she paused for breath I jumped in. "Mom why isn't Ella with us?""Oh, did I forget to tell you? One of her friends birthday's today and she had a test that was important to her final grade. So I sent her back home and she'll join you tomorrow at the show."**

**Oh. Poor Ella, she had to go home. Well at least she had a home. Unlike the flock. They deserved a home, more than some people I could think about. **

**How could I get them a home though? And the real question was, could I settle down with them?**

**I had been running my whole life, so far, always on the move. Like a bird constantly migrating. If they found somewhere they really wanted to stay and belong, could I give up my freedom to be with them. I liked to think that I could, though a selfish part of me would always be waiting for a weak moment for when I would give in and leave.**

**Angel looked at me with happy eyes.**

_**Don't worry Max, as long as we're together we'll be okay. If there is a problem then we'll sort it out. Right?**__**Of course Angel. There isn't a problem we can't fix. Not when we're together. Is there?**_

**As we walked into the lobby of the Angel Hotel, the real Angel at my side who was nodding her head vigorously. Nudge was beginning to take a resemblance to an old granny chatting. All she needed now was a pair of knitting needles.**

**That question plagued me as we said goodbye to Mom, Jeb and Brigid. Apparently they were staying at another scientists house, lucky us they trusted us to behave ourselves. If Iggy and Gazzy blew anything up, I wasn't paying for the damage.**

**This is just a filler till the next chapter. Which will have one of the characters you helped me name.**

**Review people. And thanks so far to everyone who's reviewed. So far I've had no flames. Lucky me, you people must like this story.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N thanx again for all of the great reviews. To all of those who are asking me to tell you my secrets about the characters, you're just going to have to wait. See if you notice the character you helped me name. One of you should definitely notice her in this chapter.**

Chapter 10

We went to bed early that night. We were given a bedroom each, and like the ones in Hawaii the all joined to the same kitchen and living area, but they did have their own en-suite bathrooms. Nudge and Angel wanted to sleep together. So because we had a room spare we let Akila and Total have that room. Heck, we weren't the ones who'd have to clean the dog hairs of the sheets. Gazzy did want to share with Iggy, which he agreed to. Until the Gasman downed eight chilli bean burritos, then Iggy decided it was safer for him and his health to go in his own room.

Most of us were tired from jet-lag, and after we all ordered our meals from various takeouts, we went to bed at 9:30.

I was only half-asleep though. My muscles were still tense when I laid there listening to sounds that might hint at intruders. All I could hear though was Gazzy burrito effect and Angel and Nudge giggling. I slept deeper after one in the morning and only got up when I heard the maids walking pass our hotel rooms.

I got out of bed and had a shower. Everyone was asleep still and we had a couple of hours before we had to leave for the air show. It was being held in Brecon Beacons National Park, or one of their big fields.

It was a hot sunny day so I pulled on some white shorts and a light blue tank top, then I threw on my converses that I loved.

Then, I got breakfast ready. I was going to poison my flock, I poured bleach into the cereal and juice, I cooked the bacon in soap and fried a pair of Gazzy boxers. And if you believe that, I am going to say one thing……gullible!

I did what any sane person would do when they're staying in a hotel and they don't get stuck with the bill, I ordered room service, everything on the menu twice.

Without any fuss they brought the food up, I was surprised that everyone was sleeping through the noise. I sat up the food on the table and it looked like a banquet for twenty people. That was perfect.

Total cam e out of his room first saw me then the food on the table, then gave an alarmed yelp. That one yelp was enough for everyone to rush out of their rooms. They stood frozen when they saw the food, it looked enticing but I wasn't known as the best cook in the world, or even moderately good.

"M-m-max? Did you cook us breakfast?" Nudge actually stuttered.

They must be mad, as if I would kill myself. Still annoying them would be fun.

Angel grinned and came over to me picked up a piece of bacon, stuffed it in her mouth, chewed swallowed, was about to say something when she gagged and fell to the floor. This would be fun.

"Huh, its not that bad is it?" I asked while taking a piece of bacon myself, after eating it I pretended to keel over, lying down next to Angel.

Nobody knew what to do. Until Iggy said, "Did Max just kill Angel and herself with her cooking?"Then Fang ran over to us. Then me and Angel burst out laughing. They stopped confused staring at us.

I got up and picked up a blueberry muffin and started eating. Moaning at the deliciousness of it.

"Max did you do all of this?""Yes Gazzy, I finally mastered the art of calling room service. And I am quite proud of the end result. Are you guys not hungry?"just about everyone let out a sigh of relief, Angel giggled and joined me on the sofa with a plate full of food.

We all attacked that meal like, well, to be honest I don't know what attacks like that, but it was pretty savage.

Everyone got dressed in record time, then we just sat down in the room picking at the remains of our breakfast till there was a knock at the door.

Everyone froze and I glanced at Angel. She nodded telling me that it was my mom. So when I answered it we all walked out to the limo.

I'm not going into boring detail on the journey, but imagine this six birdkids, one flying-talking dog, a normal dog, my mom in a cramped limo, while Gazzy lets out dangerous gases, Nudge talking non stop, Iggy trying to touch everything, Angel reading everyone's mind, Total complaining, Fang being Mr. Silent and my mom trying to explain what we were meant to do at the air convention. No wonder I was pressed against the window trying to focus my karma.

No wonder either why as soon as the car pulled to a stop I bolted out of the limo before anyone had taken of there seatbelts. I paused looking around, I had seen many beautiful places and this was just adding to the list. The mountains where of gentle slopes, almost everywhere was green, there were some houses tucked nicely into the scene. We then had to take a train, and not like a metro one, a steam train. The kids loved it, even Iggy who was receiving mental images from Angel. It just got lovelier, the woods thicker, the houses less. And when the train stopped, it was at this HUGE field filled with planes/jets old an new, hot air balloons and displays on the history of flying and RAF stuff. There was even a couple of helicopters. But what caught my attention was the vast silvery blue lake. I had seen that colour once before, in Sky's eyes. The lake was cut off by a rail and across from there on the gravel and benches was a small ice-cream stand and gift shop.

"Oh Max can we go on that bouncy castle, could we take pictures of us in those jets, can we try those burgers on that grill, I want at least five, do we have to pay? Oh, I love that girls t-shirt, it would look fantastic on you Max, guys wont be able to keep their eyes off of you, though some of them can't right now. Is that why Fang looks so mad like he just wants to-""Thanks Iggy." I say my voice full of gratitude.

My mom told us that we were meant to be on the stage in two hours so I gave everyone some money each and sent them on their way. Gazzy took Iggy to this plane that was used to drop bombs, Nudge and Angel went to the bouncy castle, Fang went over to a burger can, my mom went to talk to some people, Total and Akila were…….around here somewhere. I got bored after twenty minutes of walking around. I mean sure some of the planes looked cool, but I wasn't really interested in how they worked or their history seeing as how I could fly without them. None of the bouncy castles, slides, plane simulators and so on held my interest. And I wasn't even hungry after my breakfast.

So I ended up buying a magnum and sitting on the railing looking at the river. I kept glancing around spotting members of my flock in the throngs of people. They seemed to be having a fun time.

I had told them we were going to tour around Wales for a bit before moving onto England, they liked the idea of going on a holiday around the UK.

I was nervous being in such a large group of people and my flock was running around all over the place. Sky had taken care of me, tried to protect me, then Chase and Anthony had tried as well, I was trying to be like them for my flock. And hopefully I wouldn't get the same end result that Sky had, though I would follow in her footsteps gladly.

I bit my magnum and licked the ice-cream. Fang was right, I needed to relax. So I tried to ignore the sound of people around me and stared into the lake, I'll admit I got lost in it's beauty, the sun glittered of its surface and it looked so clear and natural, it stretched on for miles till it reached the reservoir that I could see further down. There were little boats putting along and even some kids in a paddle boat. My wings itched to take flight when the warm, cooling breeze blew at me. I couldn't though, that was for later.

"Hey, you're Max. Right?"I turned at the sound of my name, tensed in case it was a surprise attack. I threw what was left of my ice-cream into a nearby bin. The girl in front of me didn't look harmless. But I'm sure if she morphed into a deformed wolf she would be.

She had light pink skin, dark brown eyes and wavy, short, black hair, my height but she didn't look like she had a lot of muscle on her side.

"Who wants to know?" I casually glanced around seeing who could be a possible threat, plans of action and where my flock was.

"Oh, I'm not dangerous or anything. Well unless I'm in a jet. But I just wanted to meet you. Dr. Martinez said you were the fastest flyer and me and you are gonna race to see if your as fast as my F22. I bet it's gonna be an awesome show, so like how fast can you fly?"

"You're a pilot?" I must admit, I was stunned. She seemed no older than me.

"Yep, been flying with my dad since I was eight. Now I'm one of the youngest pilots out there at seventeen. How old are you?""Don't know, could be fifteen by now, give or take a couple years."

"Oh, yeah, of course, you don't know do you. So how fast can you fly Max?""Ummm, my last record was five hundred and fifty miles per hour roughly."

"W-O-W, that's fast. I'm Abby by the way."I laughed slightly as I took in her appearance.

"What? What is it? Is there something in my hair?" Abby started fingering her black locks.

"No, nothing. I just realised you must be a pilot. Why else would you be wearing a pilots uniform? Well to be honest I thought you dressed up for fun."

We talked some more, she told about how her mom died from cancer when she was two, her dad died a couple years ago in a plane crash, and how she met a bunch of other kids who were underage working with the military groups. She said the helped her fit in because not everyone in the military was nice. I really started to like Abby when she started saying how she pulled a bunch of pranks on these lieutenants with the help of someone she called Cara. I was giving her a rough description on life as a birdkid, leaving out quite a few bits, but she already knew a lot about us, seeing as she had been given a brief on the flock.

Soon enough though we had to make our way to the stage set up in the middle of the field where announcements were being made. I met up with the rest of my flock backstage and introduced Abby. She got on great with Nudge. We know have a Nudge-Abby Channel. So I was grateful when we were given the cue to go up. The kids loved it jumping and pumping their fists in the air, Iggy grinned and waved, Fang did his Mr. Silent act and the girls in the audience went wild. I walked on to the stage gritting my teeth, taking a quick 360, some of the boys at the front tried to jump the stage, I was about the kick them when security hauled them away. Oh, maybe they weren't Erasers.

Angel laughed and pulled me up to the microphone. Show time folks.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N okay people I know I haven't done a disclaimer yet so…..

If you really think I am JP get your head examined, my name isn't crazy little kookoo for no bloody reason. So here's a new chappie for all of you faithful readers. Enjoy :D

**Chapter 11**

**If you are ever put on a stage in front of a couple million people, at a flying convention show, and you are there to represent the CMS and are a birdkid, this is how it would go.**

**The minute I was in front of the mic everyone quieted.**

"**Well, you're here to see some flying machines and lucky you, you get to see some flying kids as well. That's Nudge," I pointed to Nudge, just imagine me pointing to everyone individually. "the Gasman, Iggy, Fang, Angel and me, Max. Hang on we're missing somewhere. Where's Total?"Just then Total ran up to the stage and flapped his wings saying, "Sorry I'm late." Pretty much everyone gasped. **

"**Yes people, he is a talking, flying, canine-American. We've got some shows lined up for you today, hope you enjoy it all."**

**As I backed off people cheered, why? I have no fricking clue.**

**My mom went on the stage with Brigid and gave the standard speech on global awareness and everything.**

**I joined the flock who were egging on the crowd and getting cheers when they snapped out their wings. I kept mine tucked in. Then our show began. First up was Angel who turned into a bird of paradise before everyone's eyes she even picked random stuff out of peoples heads.**

"**You think I'm just making this up but I'm not." She pointed to a burly biker wanabe. Her next victim was a lanky teen who had took his top off and stood on one of the benches cheering with his mates. "You think Max is hot and saucy, hm, how can Max be saucy, I thought sauce goes on your burgers and chips?" The boy went bright red and his mates hollered in laughter. I rolled my eyes as Angel continued. Next up was nudge who made metal object dance around and over the audience, she even brought them all together to make it look like a kitten. She chatted all the way through it.**

**Then it was Gazzy who sang and Eminem song sounding exactly like Eminem, then he had a conversation with himself, doing both Eminem's voice, Simon Cowell's and Ozzy Osbourne's, he had everyone in stitches.**

**Iggy got to do a show with his bombs going off everywhere, it was quite spectacular, he made it so it was like daytime fireworks, the sudden explosions going off everywhere made me jump. **

**Fang started flying and when he went past darker objects he vanished only to reappear somewhere else. We even stuck him in a black box, when everyone could see he wasn't there he grinned so you could only see his white teeth, it was pretty freaky, and still the girls went wild. **

**Total sang to the sound of music getting some awwws from the audience. Then he answered questions about being a dog from the audience. We then did our standard act of flying show, doing tricks in the air and making the crowd stare in awe.**

**When that was done I went back to the microphone.**

"**Well people now that everyone has done their act, I think it's time for us birdkids to fly on."**

**There were some moans from the audience then a little girls voice said something that caught my attention. I hushed the audience and turned to the little girl with black pigtails sitting on her dads shoulders at the front of the stage. "What did say sweetie?"She looked a little embarrassed and scared so I walked to her at the front and smiled in encouragement.**

"**Well," she began timidly, "everyone else has done a special solo act, aren't you going to do one."**

**We were hoping someone would notice, shocker it was a kid who picked up on this and not an adult. I sat down on the stage swinging my legs over the edge, looking at the girl. "Well, that's al because they have extra special talents, I'm just a fighter."**

"**Can't you do anything? Something only you can do?"**

**Oh I liked this girl, she deserved a treat.**

"**What's your name hun?"**

"**Sophie."**

"**Well, Sophie would your dad mind if he let you come up on stage with me?" She got all excited and started bouncing, her dad grinned and slowly put her on the stage. "Take care of my girl." He said quietly.**

**I took Sophie by the hand and to the centre of the stage. "Well Sophie what if I could fly really fast? Would you want to fly with me?"Her eyes widened and she did a little hop on the spot.**

"**Really?"In answer I snapped out my wings and opened my arms for her. She stared at my fourteen foot wingspan before walking slowly into my arms.**

**I picked her up and rested her on my hip, she wrapped her arms around my neck. "So Sophie how old are you?""I'm four and a half."**

"**Well you're going to be the first four and a half year old to be flown around Brecon Beacons. Hold on."**

**Then I ran to the edge of the stage as fast as possible, pushed off and snapped my wings out, when we were a hundred feet up I put on the super speed, hunching my shoulders slightly. I could hear the crowd yelling and screaming, but what made me smile was the little giggles coming from my arm as I flew Sophie around Brecon Beacons in record time, when we were over the lake I tucked in my wings and dived down. Sophie screamed and clutched me tighter, when we were five feet from a splash I pulled my wings out so we glided over the water. After a while of going up and down and twirling Sophie in the air, I landed on the stage with her grinning like a Cheshire cat. Her dad ran up to her and she jumped out of my arms and into his. "Daddy, I flew. Did you see? I was up so high like a bird." **

**Her dad smiled at me as he took her away showing her the film had recorded of her flying.**

**Fang came up behind me smiling slightly, and wrapped his arms around my waist.**

"**Awwww, Max you took a kid flying. That was seriously sweet, and you look so happy, are we going to take a bunch of kids flying, I don't think we could lift the adults they are way too heavy for us, unless both Fang and Iggy did it, we could charge them like a dollar. Do they have dollars in this country? Isn't it something else like pounds, I thought you weighed in pounds? Isn't weird how they call fries chips and chips crisps here, I wonder what they call bananas, do they call them oranges or is it the opposite way aro-"**

**Gazzy put his hand over Nudges mouth. "Turn off the Nudge Channel **_**please.**_**" He moaned and we laughed.**

**Brigid was on the stage again. "Ladies and gentleman the birdkids are going to have some lunch and a break now, but at the seven o'clock we are going to see if Maximum Ride can out fly a F22 jet. So don't go anywhere unless you want to miss a human beat one of the machines."Her words struch me whether she intended them to or not. I had been fighting machines for the most of my life so far. And I am NOT human, some of my friends may be but I was a birdkid, that's not human even if part of my DNA says otherwise. Most humans had wanted to use me or treat me like a dog. So far they had succeeded. **

**Perhaps there is a reason why you feel separate from the rest of humanity. Do you feel separate from the flock?**

_Shut up Voice, and of course I sometimes I feel separate from the flock, I'm the leader I take all the heavy decisions on by myself so they don't have to. That's why I'm the leader._

The Voice didn't comment after that, but still I was silent all the way to our van where we kicked back and relaxed while devouring enough food to stock a burger van.

Fang knew something was up though because he sat beside me the whole time and squeezed my hand throwing me quizzical looks.

I sat there with my family waiting for the time when I had to race a jet for peoples entertainment. _Like a puppet, _I thought grimly.

But I wasn't backing out, I promised my mom, no matter how much my side ached and a sick boding settled in my stomach. No wonder I couldn't relax.

The clock seemed to reach seven o'clock too quickly for my liking and me and Abby were walking back on to the stage together, and that boding became a fierce instinct that something was not right. When I saw my flock grinning at me, I shook off my paranoia and plastered a grin on my face and faced the crowd for the last time that night, I hoped.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N keep reading and receiving people if you have any suggestion or whatevs please do share. Secrets shall soon be revealed and answered. Mwahahaha. I WANT WINGS!!! ~*~**

Chapter 12

I was called on stage again and this time I dragged Abby up with me. "Hello again, now you saw me fly earlier and I am the fastest out of the others. But we want to know if I can beat a jet piloted by my favourite underage pilot, Abby. Abby hear has basically been flying since she could walk. We both love to fly fast so me and Abby are going to race from the field behind us, across the lake, around the mountain, then straight down the ten mile route of the lake and the first one to fly over the reservoir wins. So the question is who's going to win? Me with my bird wings and super speed, or the modern speed jet F22, used for stealth and aerial attacks by military? We're about to find out."I walked off and Abby gave a quick speech on the F22 jet and whatnots. I walked over to my mom and was tackled by Ella who had just shown up. I hugged her back. "I know I missed mostly everything but my flight got delayed, and no worries cause mom filled all the shows for me. Max I bet you're going to win."

I nodded slightly and walked into a trailer locking the door. My head was pounding slightly, probably from all of the heat. I was meant to wear an outfit that Ella and Nudge had picked out for me.

I looked at the material lying on the table, it wasn't that bad. A pair of black skinny jeans, a black tank top with the words Catch me if you can! in silver across the front. I noticed as I changed tops that where my wound was there was a purple smudge that was six centimetres long, it looked like a blurry feather. Unusual. I didn't have time to think what a bruise resembled, granted there shouldn't even be a bruise there. I had to get ready.

The only problem was the shoes, they had gotten me a pair of stylish boots _with _a heel. Were they trying to kill me.

_Max you have to wear the boots, Nudge says your trainers wont go with the look and that they give you a kick ass look._

_Angel language! _I scolded.

_She also says if you don't I'll have to use mind control, and you only got to walk a few feet in them, you're flying most of the way._

I couldn't argue with logic. And if it meant so much to Nudge and Angel, I would do it this one time for them. At least the heels weren't too thin. I spent a couple of minutes walking in the boots, I wobbled once but as long as I remembered to keep my feet straight till I was in the air I was safe.

In my new outfit and heels I walked out of the trailer to be greeted by squeals from Ella, Nudge and Angel. Gazzy was describing what I was wearing to Iggy, his eyes widened when Gazzy said my top was cut pretty low. Fang's jaw just kind of hung like an open door. Ella quickly gave me small earpiece that would allow me and Abby to communicate in case of any accidents.

My mom was on the stage with the microphone turned up full volume. "Will Max and Abby please get into the air as soon as possible, please."

I smiled at my flock plus Ella, hugged stacked fists then I went into the air. My wings sliding through the carefully placed slits in my top. I was not enjoying this I realised as I glanced down at the gathering crowd. Was it just me or was there more people?

Basically I was being _used _to promote the CSM's cause, just like I was used for the white coats sadistic beliefs. But the flock was enjoying themselves. Could I take that away from them? They enjoyed being on shows and entertaining people, after this race they could do the shows and I would just sit back and make sure they were safe. But would I let my mom down? She would understand right? I hated people knowing of our existence, I hated being recognised in public. Sure I enjoyed taking Sophie for a little spin, but because I did it one time people would want me to do it again for them. Want, want, and want. They would just take what they could and not give a damn. That's why I wasn't human. I was Maximum, I could live simple and not take from others, but if I chose that life would my flock follow me?

The sound s of a humming engine pulled me out of my reverie. The F22 jet tilted into the air and the earpiece crackled. "Hey Max, we have to fly level till we cross the field then it's my the best flyer win. You ready?" Abby's voice sounded tinny and in answer to her question I flew level alongside her. We were reaching the field that was our start line and the second we reached we heard my mom yell "GO!" Through the mic.

The F22 took off and I shot after it in my super speed. We were both going at four hundred and thirty miles per hour, crossing the river bank to bank. I got ahead flying up the mountains, then Abby flew past with some more speed. So I thought I'd kick it up a knotch. No matter how down I was feeling, flying always gave me a sense of freedom. Abby made the jet roll as it turned to go the end of the river to race down it to the reservoir. We were neck and neck, figuratively, as we raced down river reaching, five hundred miles per hour. The reservoir was growing in sight when a figure thing flew into our path. "Abby pull up it might be one of the flock."

Abby pulled the jet into a vertical climb not taking chances she went into land in the field she took off. I flew up to whoever it was to scold for flying in the way of a jet.

As I got closer I could see the figure was distinctly male, the wings where black. But they weren't Fang's.

I paused a couple of feet separating us. "Jethro." I breathed.

He tilted his head so his black hair fell at an angle. He locked gazes with me and grinned. I was shocked, he was from the Arena, one of their prized fighters. Why was he here? Unless……..

I looked into his eyes to see…..madness and pure hate. That was why he was here.

"Miss me Max?""Like Hell." I was ready to fight when he lunged.

I should explain, Jethro had been raised worse than an animal, when he showed signs of aggression he was praised for it. He lived to obey orders from the Arena. He had wings but they weren't bird wings. He was 2% bat. His wings were of leather, he had sharp needle point teeth, and his hands were practically claws.

He tackled me in the air and slashed his hand/claw at me. I let myself fall back so I could zip behind him and snap a kick at his wing. He fell a couple of feet before flying with speed to my side and slashing his claws along me ribs. I ignored the burn so I could grab his wrist and twist it. I heard a crack and he screamed as he pulled away to kick me with such force that I was knocked away. We had been manoeuvring so we were getting closer to the reservoir. I dodged more swipe from Jethro and threw punches at his chest knowing he had grown up with a missing rib, that was his weakness. We both made desperate moves as I punched his solar plexus and didn't block, he raked at my arm and didn't block. He did more damage though shredding at my arm, I only winded him.

Me ear crackled with static and I heard Abby's voice. "Max don't worry, the flock are coming to help you, and we're going to set some planes in the sky if you need any aid."Fuck! The flock were heading here? I could understand, they saw me struggling with one opponent when I could normally take out five without breaking a sweat. Still they couldn't come within striking range of Jethro, they weren't ready to fight the experiments from the Arena, he would kill them. Arena experiments were trained to fight till the absolute end. I should know I watched them as they ripped Sky to shreds in front of me, I had just turned five, they killed her. They killed my sister!

Fury and unimaginable anger boiled through me so that I threw myself at Jethro ignoring his claws as they sunk into any flesh he could grab. I punched him repeatedly in the chest, ribs and face. I pulled back and my bled flowed out off fresh gashes. I kicked him as hard as I could in the gut so he doubled over. I saw six figures flying towards us, Total was wobbly but determined to keep up with the others.

I turned back to Jethro, but I had been distracted for only a second and that was all he needed. He pulled out a gun shaped machine and fired at me. IT didn't shoot a bullet though, it shot a round metal bug that dug metal claws into my skin when it hit my neck, I felt the pierce of a needle, then a chock went through my body. What the hell had been injected with this time?

My wings crumpled and I fell towards the water. I wasn't worried I could breath underwater, so I wouldn't drown. But Jethro had a better idea, he tackled me so his force would knock me into the side of the reservoir, the concrete scraped against me, peeling my skin and shredding my clothes as I tumble down the side of it, ten feet down from where I was. I knocked my head against a slab sticking out at the side and nothing. I fell unconscious into the water. And I couldn't breath under water if I was unconscious, so that plan went out of the metaphorical window.

Fang POV

We were getting closer to Max, whoever that son of a bitch was he was going to get it. Angel had told us whoever he was he wanted to hurt Max, she said his mind was shattered, focused only on his pain and everyone else's.

I saw Max turn slightly towards us and Jethro pulled out a gun, I think. He shot at Max and whatever ammo he was using it stunned Max and she fell, like a beautiful fallen angel. But then that thing knocked into her so she scraped down the side of the reservoir, I was horror struck to see she left a trail of blood down the side. She fell into the water limp and quickly began to sink. I ignored that thing with wings and dove after Max, I'm sure the flock could take care of him. I folded my wings in, diving, when I hit the water I used my ability to breath underwater, I squinted my eyes to look for Max, I saw her floating to the bottom her blonde hair flowing around her. My heart thumped hard for a minute when I saw her expression, so serene almost too peaceful. I swam quickly to her and used my wings to push out of the water and get into the air. It was a struggle and I had to shake off as much water as possible, and Max's weight added to my own meant I had to pump my wings harder to get aloft.

I looked around for the flock but hey were nowhere in sight.

I was about to fly over to the stage and look for a medic when Angel's voice rang through my head. _Fang we're up on the walkway of the reservoir, bring Max._

Without any hesitation I flew with Max in my arms to the walkway. Everyone was there and so was the one who attacked Max only he was tied up with metal chains and was currently unconscious.

There was another boy there he looked to be in his early twenties, he had wavy brown hair that curled around his ears, and navy blue eyes. The minute he landed his eyes riveted to Max. "How bad is she?" he asked.

"Who the fuck are you?" I wasn't about to let him get anywhere near Max. I didn't know who he was, or what he wanted.

He frowned but answered. "I'm Chase. Max's brother."My eyes widened a bit and I glanced at Angel to see her nodding to the unspoken question in my mind.

Well I wasn't expecting that. Max had a brother? MAX had a brother. Max had a BROTHER! That one phrase kept playing in my mind.

And this time when he came forward to see Max I didn't punch him in his straight nose. Though I was still cautious.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Kay people thanks again for the reviews and it's great to know that some people like my character Chase ( I mean you 123-Cat-Cat-321), okay so some people think my romantic writing needs improving, thanks for letting me know, after all if no one pointed things out it wouldn't get better. So tell me if the romance is better in this chapter and if not I'll keep trying. Also Sky might make an appearance, tell me what you think, or if you have some suggestions on how to pull it off? I have an idea but I would like some point of views from you lot.**

**Guess what, my mate is sure I'm gonna lose this bet, so she says she can only spend up to £500 shopping on her. It's still too much for my liking I'd rather kiss her brother and the frog twice. Enjoy peeps XD**

Chapter 13

Fang POV

Chase crouched down by Max and quickly checked out her wounds, much to Iggy's annoyance as he was trying to bandage her arm. I was still pretty pissed off, and I was all tense waiting for him to make a wrong move. My eyes kept wandering to the thing with leather wings it appeared. I was going to beat the living daylights out of him the second I got a chance and I knew Max was fine.

Chase carefully turned Max's head from side to side, there was a small metal thing, to be honest it looked like a metal bug, the size of a five pence piece, it clung to her skin.

"Ahh, there's a little bugger." Chase murmured. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a lighter. He flicked on the flame and lowered it to Max's neck.

My arm shot out and grabbed his wrist in a vice like grip. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Chase glanced at me and relaxed his arm, I still didn't let go.

"That little bug there is injecting paralysis fluid straight to Max's blood, they cling to the skin and there's only two ways to get them off. Either you cut the skin of the area they're attached to off, or what I found out a couple weeks ago, when they're exposed to high heat they let go. Kind of like a leech. Now are you going to let me get it off Max, or do you want it to keep dumping that shit into Max's system?"

I let my arm drop but I paid close attention to his every move. If he was Max's brother he was just as stubborn as her. I frowned as I compared their similarities, slightly the same coloured hair, there eyes were two different colours, his a deep dark blue, Max's a lovely light brown. But there was something in their features that made me think he was telling the truth (aside from Angel reading his mind).

He carefully put the flame to the metal device, after a second we heard a high pitched hum and the things claws let go. It was still stuck and Chase gently pulled it away, along with a type of needle that was protruding from the middle, it was three centimetres long. When he pulled it out he put it in his pocket.

"I'll take a look at it later to find out how much of that stuff got in her and also then how long she'll be out." he answered our confused looks.

He helped Iggy patch Max up the best they could with bandages from his backpack, he seemed to have a freakin doctors set in there. Who the heck was this guy really?

"I know someone at the Tredegar General Hospital, we can take Max there, it's only a couple of minutes flight for us. Can you keep up?" Well he certainly had his connections didn't he? I wonder what his connections are to a bloody hospital. My eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Nudge go tell Dr. Martinez where we're heading and a quick description of what happened. Catch up to us in two minutes and we're taking Max to get help."Nudge nodded at me and took off. I jumped into the air with Max, Chase was flying too close for my comfort but I kept my emotionless mask in place in hopes it would annoy him. He didn't seem to even acknowledge me though he just kept glancing at Max.

True to her word Nudge caught up with us in two minutes exact. That must've been the shortest conversation anyone had ever received from her.

We flew as fast as we could to the hospital, and I'll admit grudgingly Chase led the way. Max's breathing was ragged and uneven as she laid limp in my arm. I was beginning to worry about her. What if that paralysis stuff paralyzed her internally and she stopped breathing?

Please Max, I though, just stay alive, keep your heart eating for me. Cause I love you. I may not say it out loud and rarely admit it to myself, but I know I love you. If you live I'll tell you yourself………..eventually.

As I had this silent vow with myself we got closer to the hospital, I ignored the towns lights around us and swooped in t land behind an alley with the flock and Chase.

We walked through the automatic doors in a rush and when some nurses saw Max unconscious, they got a bed and tried to pull her out of my arms. I nearly took off their heads, even though a rational part of my brain said they were trying to help.

Screw rationality, I knew before the damned race that something was bothering Max, and instead of confronting her, I rationally though if it was so bad she would talk to me. Now look where that got us.

The nurses stopped reaching for Max and I carefully placed her on the hospital bed. I gave them all a death glare and none of them tried to touch Max.

Iggy rested a hand on my shoulder. "Dude they can't help if you don't let them." I shook his arm off, willing him not to be right.

A couple of nurses wheeled Max into a private room and started hooking Max up to machines. Just like in Hawaii, I thought grimly.

When a doctor came in and was about to look at one of Max's various wounds, Chase spoke.

"'Scuse me doc, but would you mind getting doctor O'deel for me. She knows what to do in a situation like this. She has experience."

The doctor actually look surprised. "Dr. O'deel is very busy, you'll just have to settle for me taking care of-"

Before I could rage at the doc, settle for him? How did I know he wasn't going to inject something else fatal into Max? but once again Chase beat me to it.

"I don't trust you at all. I know and trust Dr. O'deel. So just tell her that Chase asked for her and that it's a special case. I know she's on duty here and she isn't that busy, and if you think your going to touch my little sister you might want to start planning for your early funeral."

I'll admit Chase did the scary big brother act pretty good. The doctor visibly paled and walked out of the room quickly.

The flock were seated on the vinyl chairs against the wall by the window. I stood at Max's side next to the machines who's beeping told me Max was still alive. Chase casually walked up to Max's other side, opposite me and tenderly stroked Max's bruised face. His eyes held love and caring. That was unmistakeable, but if he was her brother and he cared so much where had he been all this time?"So you're Max's brother?" I asked sceptically.

All of the flock paid close attention, waiting for his reply.

"Yes, I am. And I take it by your apparent shock, that she didn't tell you."it wasn't a question, it was a statement. "No, and I wonder why."

"That I don't know for certain, but I have an idea."Angel got a curious look on her face and her face scrunched up in a way that I knew she was reading Chase's mind.

I was about to throw my twenty questions when the door opened and doctor with long red hair, green eyes and a pair of specs walked in holding a clipboard. She wore a whit coat and I tensed.

"Siobhan." Chase said and walked over to the red head, hugging her.

She returned his hug, "Chase I didn't think you'd be back so soon. Mind telling me who my patient is?"Chase grinned from ear to ear. "It's Max my lil' sis."

Siobhan's eyes widened behind her specs. "You found her. Chase congratulations."

She seemed genuinely happy for the guy as she walked over to Max's form and started checking her over. She found the small hole in her neck were the bug had been.

"I take it you have the device that injected her?"Chase pulled the thing out of his pocket and handed it to her. The way she spoke was just like a white coat, it had me grinding my teeth in anger.

_Fang calm down, it really is okay. He loves Max and Siobhan wants to help his sister. They are really good people. Will you come sit by me._

I calmed down and sat by Angel, I was pretty sure she used her mind control abilities. In all honesty I wasn't thinking with a clear head. I dazedly recalled that we left Max's attacker tied up and unconscious at the reservoir. I hoped someone pushed him over the edge.

Angel curled up next to me and rested her head on my lap. Nudge was talking quietly to Iggy, telling him detail what happened and is happening. Gazzy sat there quietly looking scared at Max's unmoving figure. Total sat tensely on the floor growling every now and then, I'm surprised the hospital staff didn't notice he was with us.

"Okay, she only needs stitches, some sutures and bandages, I'll take her for an X-ray and MRI, she'll also need quite a lot of blood transfusions, I understand your blood is different so I'll need some volunteers. I'll also take a look at the device to see how much paralysis liquid was injected into her and if there was anything else. Just you lot sit tight while I send some people in to take her for X-ray."Siobhan looked pointedly at me. "And please don't try to kill them when they enter the room."

I glared at her as she walked out the door.

I turned to Chase to start hurling questions at him, to pull up short at the sight of him. He was leaning against the wall with his head in his hands. He had a tear trickling down one cheek, as he looked at Max slightly and another tear escaped. I heard him whisper, "I'm sorry I didn't find you quicker Max."

I must admit I was surprised to see him acting like, like a brother. I still thought he was acting but, things like this were making me falter in my suspicions.

He glanced up at me and caught me staring and his eyes hardened.

"I don't care if you don't trust me right now, your questions can wait till Max is better then we can hear everyone's stories. I'm telling you now cause I wont answer anything you hurl at me till she's awake. Got it?"

I just kept staring at him with my expression giving nothing away.

We both gave up and turned to face Max, with love and worry both in our eyes. It would have been laughable if it hadn't been so damned serious and Max was so hurt.

Some nurses came in and took Max for her X-ray, they threw me cautious glances like I might jump and attack them. Which I admit I felt like doing. Instead I became a rock, giving nothing away and being silent and strong. Waiting for Max to come back, to hear some answers and for her to open her swirling brown eyes again. The eyes that I loved to gaze at. The girl I loved. Who I loved so much that this hurt. But I would be strong and wait. Just like Max was always strong for everyone. And worried about everyone but herself. Now we were doing the worrying for her.


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N okay peeps my bet finishes tomorrow at midnight (how cliché) I am doomed, I will never save up enough money for my car, because my mates going to take everything I have and spend it on makeup and clothes. _

_I feel soo cold. Hold me._

_*Falls into Fang's arms*_

"_Where the hell did you come from? Get off me!"_

_*he tries to shake me off* I will never let go mwahaha. I just hope Max wont come and kick my butt O.O_

_**Chapter 14**_

_**I was numb, just like the last time I couldn't move. My senses were reeling all over the place. It was almost as bad as those isolation tanks I had been put in. but I could here distant noises, they sounded miles away but intellectually I knew they were coming from wherever my body now was.**_

_**I focused and ignored the warm liquid I could feel trickling through my veins, I knew that it was what was making me useless, numb to touch, immobile. **_

_**I could make out noises and I concentrated on them, the more I did the more defined they became and the closer to the surface I got. I could feel my limbs but they weren't working.**_

_**The sounds I recognized, feet shuffling, wings beating, wind whistling, frantic voices, fabric or paper crinkling, wheels squeaking on linoleum, the sounds of a scuffle and aggression. I even thought that I heard a familiar voice say 'I'm sorry I didn't find you quicker Max.'**_

_**I knew that voice, it was Chase, yes it was gruffer with the years that had passed. But I would now his voice in a crowded street, he had sung me to sleep and comforted me just like Sky had, I thought they were both dead. If there was a slight chance that I could see him again, that I would have my brother back, I would take it. And if it turned out I was imagining things I would shatter quietly inside.**_

_**I could hear a beeping that was all too familiar. My heart monitor, I could hear someone say that a paralysis syndrome was injected into me and that my heart was pumping it through my system. Not all of it was injected so it'll circulate and deteriorate in the blood. I would be out for a couple days.**_

_**Then I heard Chase's voice thanking, who I assumed was the doctor, and quietly murmuring to someone to calm down.**_

_**I couldn't have imagined it, that was Chase. Somehow Chase was here, I had my brother back and he was alive. I didn't want to be up in a couple of days, I wanted to open my eyes now and hug my brother that I thought was lost to me.**_

_**But how could I? I had something running through my system and it to circulate before the effects could ware off. That's it would have to speed up. How do I speed my own heart rate up though?**_

_**Past experiences may help you, think back to when you were in the isolation tank.**_

_Even the voice sounded fuzzy in my head. And again it couldn't give me a straight out answer, it had to dance around the edges. _

_I waited to see if the Voice would part anymore pearls of wisdom. And shocker, it didn't._

_So I thought, it wasn't like I was going anywhere. Okay so the last time I was in a n isolation tank was when I was replaced by a Max clone. I got out. I slowed down my heart, everything just kind of shut down, till they thought I was dead and took me out, then I made my move and got out. So, if I could slow my heartbeat could I also speed it up? And how the heck would I try that?_

_I concentrated on my heart, I could feel it beating steadily, last time I willed it to slow down and it did, this time I willed it to pump faster, I remembered the feel of the adrenaline rush I get when fighting and how my heart speeds up. And get this, my heart rate increased. I could hear the steady beeping accelerate._

_I heard chattering voices and rushed questions, I ignored it, willing my heart to beat faster and faster, so I could work this toxic stuff through my system and be able to see my brother after so many years._

_I found that my heart could beat at high speed and my mind could ponder other things too. Oooh, I could multi-task in my mind. Feminine power to the rescue!_

_What happened before I blacked out? I remember……flying, I was flying and fighting. Who was I fighting? Jethro……he had come, he shot me with something and I went down. I was going to hit the water then the son of a gun knocked me into the side of the reservoir, then I blacked out. Shouldn't I still be in the water, because I don't think I was there, the last time I went for a dip there was no beeping noises in the water. And the hospital smell was undeniable, either that or I was back in a lab. Which just gave me more motivation to wake up quicker._

_The continuous fast beeping carried on, for how long I'm not sure. It could have been days or hours, minutes or seconds but time seemed to hold no concept for me, it was like I was frozen and my mind was waiting to regain control over my body to start reacting._

_So waited and waited……………………………….........._

_Gradually the awareness of my limbs I had been missing tingled into existence, I could hear heavy breathing, a lot of heavy breathing, which signalled that whoever was in the room with me was asleep. It must be the flock, and Chase. My toes and fingers twitched as I tried to flex them. I tensed and un-tensed the muscles in my arms and legs. And for the pure pleasure of it I took a long, deep breath, making my lungs expand as much as possible._

_Someone's breathing stopped or maybe two someone's, I don't know._

_I peeled my eyelids back and everything was bright and fuzzy, I blinked a couple of times to bring the blobs in my vision to define into faces._

_My heart must have skipped a beat or two, two faces that I loved were looking down at me. I flashed a smile at Fang, then I threw myself at Chase._

_He was bigger, more muscular and mature, his features were defined like a mans now but I could see the remnants of my brother there._

_I wrapped my arms around him and he hugged me back just as hard. I ignored all of the sore spots that ached on my body and squeezed him tighter as the realization hit. "You're not dead." I whispered._

_And to my utter horror and embarrassment, some tears welled up out of my eyes and down my cheeks._

"_Shh, Max. I'm back. I'm not going anywhere, and I'm not going to let them take you back like last time. I'll keep you safe I promise."_

_I pulled back and ran my hand through his shaggy brown hair, his eyes were shinning with tears of their own._

_Blindly I reached a hand out to Fang and I felt his hand clamp around mine. It truly seemed like all of my family was back together. I truly thought that Chase was lost to me like Sky. Nothing could make this moment happier._

_And because it was such a perfect, wonderful moment for me. It had to be ruined. He didn't mean it to be, he didn't know it would hurt me so much. But Chase's next words wiped away my smile, caused tears to gather behind my eyes and for my heart to shatter like it had so many times before when he triggered a buried memory._

"_Max where's Sky?"_


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N All of you are curious to what happened to Sky? Really? Well why didn't you just say soooo. Here is Max's revelation on how she lost Sky, you've all given me great ideas on how to bring her back (123-Cat-Cat-321, I will use your suggestion but not for Sky, you made me laugh at the beating Jethro part). Sky will make an appearance but be warned it will be a sad chapter and will take a while to get there.**

**In the meantime this is how Max became who she is, how she became so determined to fight.**

"**Yippee!" *jumps on to fangs back. "Give me a piggy back."**

"**No get off now!" *He tries to throw me off, I cling on till I see an angry Max running after me. I run in slow motion and get caught. "Yikes, spare me.."**

Chapter 15

I pulled back from both Fang and Chase, I was closing in on myself, but I had to tell him. Fang looked at Chase as though he was going to tackle him at any moment. Chase looked at me with eyes full of joy. They wouldn't look like that once I told him, they would probably be filled with hate. I fidgeted in my hospital bed, I became aware of my surroundings instantly. We were in a private room the flock were asleep on the couches, Iggy sat with Nudge leaning on his shoulder, Angel on his lap and Gazzy was leaning on Nudges arm. My mom had Ella in her arms and they were asleep in the recliner, Total was curled up on the floor and asleep in the far corner in a chair was Jeb.

I was also hooked up to numerous machines, I had an IV and other needles sticking into me along with those electrode patches, I was bandaged all over and I had stitches, a bag of blood hung to my right, I was wearing a stupid paper hospital gown and I had an oxygen tube up my nose. I was not happy.

I reached out to pull the stupid tube out of my nostrils and proceed to remove everything else that wasn't naturally attached to me. Fang stopped me by grabbing my hand, before I could rant at hi Chase intervened.

"I should get Dr. O'deel, you weren't meant to be awake and she would like to check you out, and if she says it's okay you can take that tube out."

He walked out of the room and the click of the door closing woke up the flock, who then in turn woke up Jeb, Ella and my mom.

They saw me a wake and within seconds the area around my bed was crowded. Even Jeb hovered by my side. Fang sat on the bed with me holding my hand. No one tried to hug me, I just got gentle pats on the arm. I must've looked more fragile than I felt. Ha that was a joke, me, fragile? As if.

Chase came back after I had filled the flock in on Jethro and how he was an experiment from the Arena. The doctor followed him, and she just had to be a red-head didn't she. Okay that was prejudiced of me, I wouldn't judge her I would wait till she started flirting with Fang then I would start plotting her demise.

"Hello Max, I'm Dr. O'deel. But you can call me Siobhan seeing as you're Chase's sister."

Wait! She knew Chase?

I glanced at Chase and he read my bizarre expression. "I'll explain once you're checked out."

With a frown I let Siobhan check me out, she was pretty shocked that I was awake, she actually thought I had gone into a type of seizure when my heartbeat increased. I had plenty broken bones, too many to list, scrapes cuts, slight internal bleeding, concussion and I bunch of stuff that I blocked out while she explained in detail how I went through surgery.

"Can I take these out?" I pointed at some of the tubes and annoying needles.

She looked aggravated. "You're as bad as your brother you are."

She then took some electrodes off but kept the ones monitoring my heart and blood pressure on, the IV and the blood transfuse needles were left in as well. I had got rid of that tube up my nose but I was still in the paper gown and very little else.

Siobhan left and everyone pulled chairs up around me, apart from Fang who was still on the bed with me.

I looked at Chase and he looked like he was hurt. I clutched at his forearm and he could see the worry in my eyes.

"It's okay Max, it's just I lost you and now I've found you. Took me long enough. You look just the same as when we got you out of the Arena, bandaged nearly head to toe." He looked down and looked, weak, shattered nearly. If this is what he's like now, how can I tell him about Sky? Either way he had a right to no.

"Chase about Sky, you know back when you got me out of the Arena. After you taught me to fly, ma and Anthony were mucking about playing in the air. The Wing Beaters came and took me after knocking out Anthony."a flash of hurt crossed his features. "Yeah, I remember that. None of us could get to you. The Wing Beaters open fired and we pretty much had to duck and cover."

I remembered the sounds of shooting, I remember looking back over the Wing Beaters shoulder to see Sky trying to run after me to take off, and Chase having to tackle her out of the way of fire.

"What's a Wing Beater?" Gazzy asked genuinely confused.

"Yeah cause I'm getting a lot of nasty images and you really hate them, both of you do." Angel pointed at me and Chase and I mentally scolded her for reading our minds.

"Well, at the school the Erasers were your guards, at the Arena the Wing Beaters would keep us in check. Some of them have wings and some of them have enhanced strength or speed, lupine abilities, basically it's a group of experiments that operate under the Arena's commands, they are very brutal and vicious." Chase gave a rough description on my tormentors for the first few years of my life.

"Anyway, after they took me back, they planned on pushing me to my limits to see if I would die or survive. I went through three days without food or water then I got sent to the training room and they let a panthera tigris experiment and a ursidae. That's a tiger and black bear experiment if you don't know latin. They threw me in cage with them after opening some of my wounds to get them to attack me. I lasted four maybe five hours. I couldn't fight anymore I was too weak and I didn't want to live. Because I knew if I did they would make me like them, I would be another experiment following orders. But the door opened and Sky came in she managed to pull me away and ran with me. We didn't get very far."My throat was clogging up and tears burned my eyes, I held them back. Chase had sad realization dawning on his face. I had to say it though, he wanted me to give him a definite answer.

Everyone was looking at me, the flock looked surprised and scared, Fang and Iggy looked ticked off though, Ella and mom looked sad and were crying. Jeb however looked very confused as he listened intently and his brow was furrowed.

"We got to the end of the hall when she went down. They shot her in the leg so she couldn't runaway. I tried to pull her up to get her to go, but they pulled me up. They got one of the Wing Beaters to hold me while anther one dragged Sky back to the room I was in. They made me watch as the experiments killed her, they tore her apart. She kept saying it would be all right, it just wasn't. I got angry, so angry that I was watching her die. They left her bleeding and petted the other experiments like they were good pets. I don't know why or how I had the strength to do it. I managed to hit my captor when I opened my wings, he fell back surprised and I grabbed his gun and shot the Wing Beaters there. I shot the experiments to, and I ran into get Sky. She was barely breathing, I held her hand and she soon died. The scientists came back with more Wing Beaters, they saw me sitting with Sky's body. They knew I had taken out the other guards from the security footage. This time when they took me I didn't fight. After a couple days though of their 'experiments and testing' I started to rebel against them. I hacked into one of their computers to find out information on what they did to me and I found your file, Chase. It said your termination date had been activated and you had died five days ago. So I thought I lost you all, and because you both died fighting, I wanted to die fighting them. I made them give me hell and I dished it back to them as much as a mutant four year old could. Then they transferred to the School in the hopes that being with other experiments that appeared to have no life or fight in them, would knock the fight out of me and break me. It backfired on them, I just fought harder. Then Jeb found me and realised I was his daughter and then that's how we ended up here."

I looked at Chase and he had his head in his hands. He was crushed. He only ever wanted to protect his two sisters, and one was now dead, had been for years, and he never knew about it.

Gazzy held Angel as she cried and whispered about Chase's thoughts. Apparently he was trying to remember all the good times, as few as they were, over all of the bad, he slipped sometimes and Angel got a glimpse of it. Iggy looked at the floor, Nudge and Ella cried holding each other silently, Mom looked absolutely terrified and Jeb got a fatherly look on his face that showed love, determination, pride, a shock. (Love my butt, the man isn't capable of the emotion, and pride over his star pupil probably. He was a white coat. Right?)

I lowered my head and pulled away from fangs touch. I didn't deserve any of this, Sky should be alive, Sky should have a family, not me, she shouldn't have had to give her life up for me.

I wrapped my arms around myself trying to keep myself together when inside my soul and heart wept for Sky. There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't miss her, I felt guilty for trying to avoid the memories of her.

"Chase I'm so sorry." I felt his curious gaze on me.

"If I had acted sooner, I could have saved her. But because I didn't she died. She shouldn't have come for me, you shouldn't have got me out in the first place. I could have saved her, and I acted too late. It's my fault. It's my fault we lost her and I'm so sorry."

Silent tears ran down my cheeks. Yes you heard that correct. I, the ultimate, invincible Maximum Ride was crying. You would to wouldn't you? If you had lost your sister and was forced to watch her death, to carry the guilt of her death for years, to get back your brother who you thought dead, to tell him the truth, for him to then hate you and to leave you like the worthless experiment you are. Because I was sure he would blame me, like I blamed myself.

A strong arm wrapped around me, as the bed dipped with extra weight, my shaking shoulders were pulled into a warm embrace. This time it wasn't Fang.

"Why don't you hate me? I f I had done something, she would be alive, I should-"

Chase cut me off and buried his head in my hair as he rubbed back and wings lightly.

"I could never hate you, you were a kid. We could have done something different. Sure you could've acted sooner, or she could've waited till we were all ready to come after you instead of going on her own. I'm just glad I have one of you. That I didn't lose both my sisters that day."

He kissed the top of my head and we clung to each other. And I cried for Sky, my lost sister. Still the guilt I had felt for years still lingered. I would make it worthwhile, I would make my existence mean something that would make up in a small amount for her death.

I would get back at the Arena.

**A/N Anywho, that's it for today. Two chapters tomorrow. You're going to meet someone new tomorrow. There will be drama and laughter in the next chapter. Hehe thanks for the great review everyone and I'm going to be cheeky and ask you to review again. Luv you all. XD**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N so are you ready to meet one of the old characters who I own, (Yay I actually own something)? Things are going to seem great and go down hill very quick. I still don't know if I'm bringing Sky back, some people think it'll ruin the emotional anger and angst in Max, so still give me your opinion on it. And 123-Cat-Cat-321 (and yes you are lazy Chase was very disappointed you wouldn't press the login button for him), I know how much you love Chase, so this one was for you. **

***Max throws me in a dungeon and brings out my worst nightmare, my friend holds my credit card (that I just got) she wants me to take her shopping. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Max laughs evilly.***

Chapter 16

After my miniature breakdown and reunion with brother I ignored all my wounds and made every member of my family hug me. Even Jeb, who had the nerve to pat me on my shoulder as I sent him death-glares. I still hadn't forgiven him for nearly giving me a brain tumour with his stupid mind pressuring. You see lucky kids get peer pressured to clog the school toilets, I get brain pressured to relive some of my darkest memories. The fairness of the universe seemed to pretty much suck in my opinion. I could hardly believe he was sticking around. I planned to remedy that.

I sent everyone off to get some food even Chase and Fang who both protested. I asked Jeb to stay in not a very nice voice. I was shocked when he did, he must want an early funeral.

The minute the door clicked shut I went into my rant. "What the hell are you doing here Jeb? In case you haven't notice but me and you aren't exactly on speaking terms. You had to make me reveal some of my most hideous secrets to flock, which was actually very painful to do, emotionally and physically. Now I have one of my brothers back, if you start spouting the saving the world speech I'm going the scar you mentally. So I am going to ask one more time and your answer better be believable. Why are you here?"

Be afraid, be very afraid, I am Maximum Ride.

Jeb cleared his throat before speaking.

"Max, all I have done I have done to protect you. You are my daughter I want you safe. It's why I've been trying to help you. I never meant for you to get hurt, I never knew of your past, you should have told me. I found at the age of five in the labs and your records just said you were high priority."

"I didn't have to tell you anything, and if you weren't smart enough to realize my records were scant on information or why I had suddenly appeared. Then you're the idiot. And I am asking as my father to leave, I need time to think things through and I cant exactly do that when I feel like your going to stab me in the back."if I didn't know better I would have thought that the sadness that crossed Jeb's face was genuine, I knew better though. Once burned and twice scorned, I was learning from my past. "If that's how you feel Max, I'll stay at a hotel, but I am here if you need me."

He walked out after patting my hand, I had a scowl on my face the whole time.

When he left and I could no longer hear his footsteps, I let out a sigh and laid back, ignoring the rub of bandages against raw flesh and stitched flesh. I was genuinely confused about Jeb, was he a good guy or was he a bad guy? Did he have an evil twin or split personality? Either way I wasn't taking a risk without being sure.

I think I fell asleep because the next thing I heard was the sound of people rushing and metal clanging, the flock were already back and asleep, Chase occupied the chair by my right lightly stroking my hair.

The door to our room was open and I could see someone on a gurney being rushed into the ward across from us. It was a girl with vibrant orange hair, the tips were a pure black that didn't look dyed. She had scrapes over her body. And she looked rather ticked off as the nurses kept pushing her to lie down when she went to get up. She had a strange tan skin, with my raptor sight I could pick out the faint darker lines on her skin, like stripes.

"Will you let go of me. I'm perfectly fine, I'll be perfect once I kill that son of a bi-"While she was talking Chase had bolted to the door and yelled "Cat!" ***that's for you 123-Cat-Cat-321***

Cat, whoever she was saw Chase and stopped pushing the nurses away gently. No, instead she knocked a doctor over, vaulted over the rest and ran towards Chase he picked her up in hug, and snapped at someone to get Siobhan. Then they walked in arm in arm. Cat was talking nearly as fast as Nudge.

"I think I've found your sister, you said you were heading up the Beacons and I heard there was a fly show up there, I checked it out and there were a bunch of birdkids. I left to find you but Siobhan said you had left to go somewhere. I went to ask around for the birdkids but then I saw this military type woman, she was actually hauling a unconscious Jethro into a truck. I asked what she was doing and she says it was classified, so I knocked her out. The opportunity was to great to pass up, so I took Jethro behind one of these trailer things woke him up and got a few answers. Max is here, I think somewhere in Wales, Jethro was sent to ambush her to try to trigger the programming the Arena had put in, he said you beat the shit out of him then he fell asleep. I was about to enjoy whaling on him, you know for all of the times he had hunted us, attacked us, the time he spat on my shoe, but that blinking military woman had gotten some more military people and they said for me to hand him over. I turned round and Jethro takes a pop at me, I knock him out, they take him back, then they send me to a hospital against my will, by the way I was thinki-"

Chase quickly kissed her on the lips then pulled back grinning. "Shut up." I mumbled.

Cat looked around the room and noticed us all for the first time.

Seemed like Chase had found somebody. She better treat my brother right.

"Cat, I'd like you to meet Max, my sister."

I waved slightly and she just got an annoyed look on her face.

"Now what was the point of me going after Jethro? Though I don't really need a point to do that, it's just fun and pay back. Lovely to meet you Max, perhaps you can help me to control your brother."

I grinned slightly and her skin pattern and unusual hair clicked in my mind. She didn't have wings.

"You're a panthera tigris experiment. Though I'll admit you are not as obvious as the others."

She laughed lightly at my revelation. "I was one of the lucky ones I can retract my claws, and my stripes fade slightly so they aren't easily noticed. Now is anyone going to tell me why I'm last to know everything?" She glared at the room in general as though she knew us already and didn't give a damn if she was a big cat in a room with a lot of birds. I think I was beginning to like her already.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N okay people I promised you two chapters so here's the second. Enjoy ;) just so you know I lost that bet with my mate, but I don't care you all left me great reviews. Wish me luck on the shopping trip tomorrow *sobs while clutching credit card*.**

Chapter 17

We filled Cat in and I sent my mom and Ella with the flock to a hotel that was just down the road from the hospital. It was ridiculous staying in a hospital together. If any Wing Beaters came Angel would be able to hear my thoughts. Fang was adamant on staying which raised my moms eyebrows. I wonder what was going through her head.

Cat had been checked out and found out she had a broken rib and her lung was leaking in the diaphragm, when she found this out she answered with "I'm guessing by your expression it's not meant to do that." So she was staying in the room next to me with Chase.

I learnt that when I was taken by the Wing Beaters they killed practically everyone in the caves. That's why they didn't come for me straight away. Chase thinks Anthony might still be alive, which would be great, but for now I was content. I had gotten a part of me back that I had thought long dead.

That night I curled up in Fang's arms remembering the good times I had with Chase and Sky. I had tasted freedom for two days, and it was the best two days of my young life.I could remember waking up in a bed, my last memory of being pulled out of a cage with a leopard experiment and Chase running through the hallways with me, to see Sky looking worriedly but happily at me. I remember Chase playing a piano and Sky singing while I played by their feet then tried to play the ivory keys with Chase. I remember being told it was my birthday and not knowing what that meant. I focused on my first time flying and didn't let it go any further than that. But it seemed my dreams had other ideas.

_I was back at the Arena, I had been back for days know, I think. It was nearly impossible to tell there were no windows, I ached to see the sun or the moon again. I would never see it in this depressing hell hole. I curled up and ignored the blood that ran down my shredded arm. The experiments in the room had left me to be, the bear looking one was dozing slightly, the tiger striped one was licking my blood of its fur. I was surprised I was still alive. _

_I moved slowly to grab the end of my top so I could place it over my bleeding wound. The tigers ears perked in my direction, it nudged the bear and they both slowly stalked me. I hesitantly moved backwards, pushing with the heel of my foot to get away. The tiger moved so quick, it pounced on my back and started tearing at my baby wings, I cried out and tried to bring them in tighter to my back to limit the damage. The bear knocked me with its huge paw/hand, I felt the curved claws hook into my cheek and rip. My tears mixed with blood and I made a desperate attempt to run out of their reach. _

_I could run no where though, I was trapped in a cage like room with these mindless fiends till they killed me. I felt teeth and claws drag at me and pull my flesh sharply. I closed my eyes and thought of Sky and Chase. Please let them be okay. I'm so scared but they are never afraid, I want to be brave like my brother and sister. I should be able to fight, I shouldn't hide and cower in fear. I proved them wrong for years, they expected me to die and I had survived to spite them. Now I couldn't fight, as much as I hated the fact, I was still only a four year old girl._

_Suddenly the two snarling beasts were thrown off of me, safe arms picked me up and I was quickly dashed out of the door. I looked up to see Sky scared face. She had tears running in streams down her eyes. "Hang on Max, we're nearly there." She panted._

_The world suddenly tilted and I went flying out of Sky's arms, she went down and screamed, I faintly registered the sound of a gun shot. _

_I went to go back to Sky to help her up, but cruel hands yanked me up by my hair and regardless to my wounds strong arms squashed me against a chest. _

_I looked around and my heart skipped a beat. Wing Beaters._

_They dragged Sky back to the cage room and locked her in with the tiger and bear experiments. The Wing Beater who held me pressed my face against the glass, I watched horror-struck as they ripped into her, more vicious now that they had been stopped killing me. _

"_It's all your fault. Look at her, dying. Why? For you, because of you. If you never existed, if you had just died in the beginning like you were supposed to, she would live, she would feel no pain. Watch it and enjoy because this is all for you. Little birdie, this is your life now. And don't try to escape because I will hunt you down, just like you I can fly, not even the skies will over you refuge from me."_

_I didn't know who the Wing Beaters were or what type of experiments. To me they were all scary and monstrous creatures, they were made up of nightmares and were worse than the monster under your bed or in the closet because they were real._

_I saw Sky look at me and she moved her lips,, I didn't know what she was saying and I pressed a hand against the glass of the window, trying to reach her. My heart, my soul was shattering by watching her die. They pulled the bear and tiger out and petted them, murmuring praise. Sky's limbs looked shredded, and her once glorious wings was a raw bleeding wound. Unrecognizable._

_Then something drove me over the edge. A small humorous chuckle from the Wing Beater who held whispered by my ear. I let my grief and anger wash over me. I had to do something, anything._

_In desperation I snapped my wings open knocking my captor of balance. He let go of me and I grabbed the gun from his waist. I shot him in the stomach and he went down. I shot the Wing Beaters there with quick precision. I don't know I knew how to use a gun, but I knew I had to put in another magazine clip, and how to get a round into the barrel, it was as easy as breathing. I shot the two experiments that were licking at Sky's blood smeared on the floor. _

_When I was done I dropped the gun and ran into the room to Sky. I ignored the sight of blood everywhere, but I still got glimpses and the smell of death was overpowering._

_I slipped in the blood when I reached her side, I didn't get up I just laid next to her staring into her eyes where her inner light was slowly flickering out._

"_Sky please don't go." My voice broke in so many places it didn't sound like me._

"_It's…………going…to be….okay Max. I love you…….s'not….your fault…… Ever."Blood rushed out of her mouth and the light in her eyes died entirely. _

_Tears ran down my cheeks. I heard footsteps running down the halls. It didn't matter they could take me now. What was the point in fighting them? They had taken everything. I built a wall around myself, so was numb to the pain, physical, mental and emotional. My tears dried up and my expression went blank. No matter what Sky had said it __was__ my fault. I was entirely broken and things only got worse from then. _

_I stared blankly at the floor as I was dragged away, my blood slowly mixed with Sky's. My sister was dead, and most likely my brother. No one was coming to save me. I had no family._

I bolted awake tears so close to the surface, sobs of anguish nearly ripping out of my throat, by restraining them to quiet gasps made my throat burn. I tried to sit up so I could turn my heart monitor off, it was going wild. But strong, safe, warm arms restrained me. I curled into Fangs side and rested my forehead against his throat. He said nothing just held me and brushed kisses into my hair whilst he gently rubbed between the small at the back of my wings.

"You okay Max?""Not really, I just dreamed, it felt like relived, when I lost Sky. It just seemed like too much with everything that has happened today." I would only ever admit if things were piling up on me to Fang. And if you ask why? It's cause I trust him idiot.

I looked up at Fang to read his expression, instead I felt warm lips move over mine. I didn't even hesitate as I brought up my hand to rest against his neck. Fang wrapped his arms around me and nibbled my lip. How long had it been since me and Fang last kissed? Too long was the answer.

I opened my mouth for him and we took our time. It was nearly relaxing, at the same time also blood boiling. I ran my hands in his hair as our kiss deepened. He pushed me back gently so I was lying on the pillows, one of his hands gliding down to my waist. I broke the kiss but his lips just moved down to my neck and collar bone.

"I love you Fang. I don't think I thanked you for saving me earlier."

I barely got a chance to breath before his lips crashed back to mine, his hand rubbed soothingly on my waist whilst his other brushed hair out of my eyes.

"I'll take this as your thank you gift. And I love you too."

When he spoke our lips practically moved together. We started kissing again and I clung to him never wanting to let go.

Then someone just had to clear their throat. Me and Fang glanced to the door, Fang didn't move from his position above me. And Chase just glared daggers at him.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I just came in to check on Max." He growled while glowering at Fang.

Fang raised an eyebrow in challenge and pressed a kiss to my neck.

Chase looked like he was about to throw Fang through the window, but I pushed Fang back and flicked off the heart monitor that had been beeping hysterically the whole time.

"I'm fine Chase. I just had a nightmare and Fang was comforting me.""I just bet he was."

I heaved a sigh and through my head back on my pillow and closed my eyes hoping for no more nightmares.

Brothers were apparently a certified mood killer. And as if it wasn't enough to walk in on me and Fang making out. He marched into the room and I opened my eyes in time to see him pull Fang off the bed and into a chair.

"You can sleep there for the rest of the night. And I'll know if you move. Be warned."

Then after throwing a glare at Fang and kissing me on the forehead (talk about a split personality) he hesitated by the door.

"Go and snog your girlfriend. And quit treating me like a little girl."

He raised his eyebrows and walked out after snarling, "Behave."

Talk about brothers. The minute we heard Chase walk in to his room with Cat, Fang was in the bed with me and after a quick kiss we fell asleep. Honestly.

That night I slept free of nightmares. But even unconscious I was thinking of numerous ways to destroy the Arena.

**A/N By the way does anyone know what ZOMG stands for I only know the OMG part, what's the Z for?**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N People I still don't know what ZOMG means, people use it for Nudge so someone must know. Come on enlighten me.**

Chapter 18

Fangs POV

I woke up near morning to the sound of my stomach growling. I was starving. I hadn't eaten any food last night because I wouldn't leave Max. I was sure Max was going to be hungry when she woke up. And hospital food is always the worst, I'd rather have roasted desert rat again. (Yes I have tried it.)

I just sat there for a while looking at Max, she was curled up on her side facing the window, away from me. I silently pulled myself up from the bed, making sure Max was still asleep when I kissed her on the head lightly and left through the door. I walked over to the door that led to Cat and Chase's room, I knocked but got no response so I just walked. And nearly went blind.

Cat and Chase were making out on the bed like there was no tomorrow. They didn't even notice me as I opened the door. Things between them were getting a little (which means a lot) extreme between them so I cleared my throat to get their attention. They both jumped and Cat even hissed at me. Chase glared at me as he stood up.

"What do you want? Don't you know how to knock?"I raised my eyebrow and kept my expression blank. I had to deal with him though, he was Max's brother.

"I did knock, I got no answer. I'm going to get me and Max some food, do you want some?"

Cat was still mad, and I swear if she had a tail it would be twitching back and forth.

"You're offering to get us food? Why?" Chase was highly suspicious.

"Because you're Max's brother, I'm sure you don't want to eat the hospital food, and I need someone to watch Max while I'm gone."

"Fine, I'll keep an eye on Max once I get changed. it's not like she's going to get into trouble in the six minutes it'll take me to change my clothes. Chill yeah. By the way I would love a Big Mac, preferably six, a lot of fries and two cokes. Same for Cat."

Who did he think I was, his personal server? Without any comment I walked out, still a bit anxious about leaving Max.

"Oh, and watch your step with my sister."

Chase called as I closed the door. I checked on Max and left her a note before I even headed to leave the hospital. I was going to empty the nearest Mc Donalds with the help of Max's credit card which I had swiped earlier. I kept thinking about how much Max hadn't told us, me. didn't she trust me? Was there any more secrets? As much as I loved her, this secrecy of hers was making me uncertain about what was going on. I knew that Max's past was painful, probably more than ours from the School. Like last night when she woke up petrified, I felt so helpless.

But something kept nagging me? Why were things from the Arena happening now? Why had they left Max alone for so long? And had everyone forgotten about the dream that started this?

I was beginning to get extremely agitated and twitchy as I waited for my many orders to be made.

Max's POV

I woke up alone and funnily enough my first thought wasn't _Oh no, the white coats took him. _No. surprisingly enough I thought _What has Chase gone and done to Fang? _Yep, I blamed my brother. To me it was more likely to happen, I mean look at the way Chase had acted last night when he caught me and Fang kissing.

I turned around to and found a note on the cushion. Wondering if it was a ransom note I read it.

_Max,_

_Gone to get some real food, be back soon and don't do anything stupid. By the way your brother is a pain in the ass. _

_Fang._

I sighed, I was going to have some food, and not that hospital fake food either. Oh, and Fang was okay.

I knew it was a genuine not from Fang, one because he had the nerve to say I do stupid things, two because he would think to go out to get food instead of ordering, and three because he complained about Chase.

I glanced around and noticed my pack in the corner of the room. No matter what the doctor said I was not going to lay around, my recommendation from myself is to get up and moving as soon as you can.

I pulled the rest of my man made connections to machines off, ignoring the tug of needles in my flesh. I couldn't wait to leave this place, in my opinion I was spending too much time in these places lately.

I opened the pack and pulled out underwear, some ripped jeans and a black tank top out and got changed. as I was pulling on my tank top I caught sight of a bruise that shouldn't have been there. It looked older than my recent injuries and should have healed already. I ignored it hoping it would fade soon. I started pulling off the bandages and stitches with a pair of medical scissors left in the room, I did this quick and precise, I had too much practice doing this sort of thing. Although Iggy is way better at playing doctor than I am.

I was about to walk out of the room when I froze.

**Max take a step over to the window.**

Yippee, the Voice was back, please note my sarcasm.

_Okay Voice care to tell me what's going one?_ I asked while taking a step to the window away from the door and to the right so a marksman couldn't get a shot at me through the window.

The Voice didn't answer, surprise, surprise.

But the door did open and two military looking men, Brigid and LT. Smith from the meeting in Hawaii walked in. What did they want?

I didn't like the look of this, the two men had tell tale bulges under their jackets which indicated a concealed weapon.

I glanced at the window it wasn't open, it wasn't double glazed either, I could break through it easily enough.

"Hello Maximum, would you like to come with us?" LT. Smith asked.

What was with evil people asking you, then taking you against your will when you said no? But I wasn't 100% sure yet if they were evil, just 99.9%. My next words and there reply would make me make up that 0.1% of doubt.

Brigid giggled. "Sorry about this Max, but apparently you've become a pain and you need to do what you were created to do. And it wasn't to save the world as I'm told."

Behind them Jethro walked through the door.

"Miss me Max, ready for round two?"

As he said that the two army men reached into their jackets. I kicked the hospital table at them and knocked them over, including Brigid and LT. Sadistic. BONUS!

Except Jethro who vaulted the table, during that time though I had turned around and threw myself through the window my arms around my head.

The glass shattered and I could feel shards cut into my skin and I ignored the new pain and old aches. The minute I was free of the glass I opened my wings and flapped to gain altitude.

I looked back through the window to see trying to get into the room. But then all I saw was Jethro laughing maniacally at me as he dove through the window.

This time I wasn't going down. I was ready, and I had a fury burning in me to but Mt. to shame. If the Arena wanted a fight they were going to get one.

**A/N Kay people my mate says I lost the bet cause I didn't do this, so I'll give it a try. I'm sorry in advance. No more updates till I get ummm 95 reviews. Lets see if this works.**

**Still doesn't any one know what ZOMG mean? Anyone? *an eerie silence***

**Review please people, and you will see Sky soon, though it is going to be sad for Max and Chase. **


	19. Chapter 19

A/N okay my mate was right this does work I have 95+ reviews, and I finally have an explanation for ZOMG. Thnx people for the help. And to all your questions about what's goin happen yada yada ya? You'll just have to keep on reading and reviewing for me. Enjoy this chapter I wrote it after an argument so it should be good XD

**Chapter 19**

**Jethro flew right at me, cackling like the sadistic maniac he is. I ignored all my bruises and aches and stitches and threw myself into the battle like there would be no end for me.**

**All my anger and pain at having to retell and relive the past was put into this one fight. Besides I still needed to get even with Jethro.**

**I took him by surprise, as he came out of the window unfurling his leather wings I flew straight at him and tackled him by the chest. We both went down, both falling. I got in a good punch to the side of the head before I let go and started flying to gain altitude. Jethro though couldn't get his wings out in time and when he did he connected with a parked van below. I was surprised that he did more damage to the van than it did to him. The roof caved in in a Jethro shaped dent, and get this he stood up, dusted himself off, grinned then jumped into the air flying faster towards me.**

**He wasn't going down without a fight. That was okay, there's no fun beating someone if they give up. I looked back through the window to see if those military men had guns pointed at me. Instead I saw Chase punching the two men and Cat tying up an unconscious Brigid and LT. Smith while her tiger stripes became more pronounced on her skin.**

**Jethro got too close and I had to drop back as his claw like fingers swiped near my face. If I told you each and every punch, kick, block and so on we would be here forever. So to keep it short and sweet I had some good throws and so did he. I got him to drop to the concrete floor of the hospital entrance when I threw a snap kick to his solar plexus. He met the floor with a bone resounding smack. And before he could recover I flew down, grabbed him by the collar so I could pull him up and throw a hand jab at his jugular.**

**He doubled over clutching his throat and coughing.**

**Chase landed behind him using his wings to coast down, Cat landed in a crouch using her abilities to jump four storeys without injury. They both glared at Jethro, but they let me do the honours while they kept curious bystanders back. What is it with people? When they see a deadly fight they have to get **_**closer.**_** Seriously do they want to get killed?**

**Jethro snapped his wings out trying to use them to keep me back as I walked closer to him. I dodged and managed to get behind him so I could pull his wings close together at the base. And let me tell you that HURTS, which Jethro then proved my point by screaming in pain.**

**I ignored it, when you're fighting for your life, you take every cheap shot you can. When you're fighting something from the Arena you have to have no compassion or sympathy and be as cold and ruthless as possible. **

"**Now, you are going to tell me what you're doing here and what the Arena wants. Got it? Get it? Good."**

**Jethro was still smiling, this was what the Arena did to you, Jethro grew up in pain, so it may hurt him but it's all he knows. It's why I could take so much, because I had lived in that environment at one point.**

"**The Arena want what they've always want. The little birdie tried to fly away. The little birdie went missing. They send another flyer after little birdie. They curious to why little birdie didn't die when she was suppose to. I like playing with the little birdie, I cause little birdie pain. They come soon for little birdie."**

**And if you didn't guess until this conversation or still don't get it, Jethro is mad, bonafide crazy, pure nut case, licensed maniac. Get my point?**

**I gathered that I was the 'little birdie' and the rest of what he said was confusion and the bits I knew meant hell was coming. For me specifically.**

**I looked at Chase with sadness in my eyes. He knew what I was thinking. **

**I couldn't run from the Arena, for some reason they had ignored me all these years and now the wanted me back. They would come at me from every angle, taking my family and friends away from me like Sky if I refused to obey. What was there for me to do but fight them and bring them down like I originally swore to do years ago? Could I risk putting people I loved in danger? I would try to protects them first but if I got the slightest inclination I was failing I would leave.**

**See, this is a special brother and sister bond, and Chase knew that was my conclusion I reached and he nodded. He wouldn't leave me this time. He had lived through the Arena, he could tough it out with me.**

**Chase walked up behind Jethro and finished it. Jethro couldn't be saved and Chase was stronger than me, plus he wouldn't let me break his neck. Still I felt a little guilty, it wasn't Jethro's fault he turned out the way he did. Those scientists had ruined so many lives. **

**We gathered up Jethro's body and put it in a body bag that the hospital let us use. I even called Abby and asked her if she knew someone from military that could lock up Brigid and LT. Smith and interrogate them as well. She said she had the perfect person and hung up. **

**We were waiting around the back of an alley when I heard someone yelling for me. It was Fang. I ran out and pulled him into the alley where we waited for Abby's friend.**

**I explained quickly what happened and soon Angel ran into the alley with the rest of the flock.**

"**I'm so sorry, I was asleep and I didn't hear their thoughts. I should have been listening." Angel cried into my shoulder as I hugged her.**

**I murmured nonsense and soothed her. I had gotten good at reassuring my flock in confusing dangerous times. And I had learned how to keep my mind pleasant so Angel didn't pick up some of my hectic thoughts. Because I was going after the Arena. I had to stop them. They were more dangerous than Itex and The School. I couldn't believe I had ever thought of letting them get away. Well that was it really, I never thought of them, at all. A part of me hoped they would just fade away like a bad dream.**

**I was broken out of my thoughts when I saw a large black SUV pull up and Abby hopped out. "Max! Are you up there?!" She yelled looking up at the skies.**

"**No I'm down here." I answered coming out of the alley. Chase carried Jethro's body and Cat was dragging Brigid and LT. Smith.**

"**Oh, goody. This is my friend Cara. She'll help you sort out everything so you don't get arrested. Is there any more helpless victims."**

"**Two more unconscious in Max's hospital room, tied up." Cat said while I looked at Cara, Abby's friend.**

**Abby had told me about Cara at the flying show. She was around seventeen with short light brown hair, and bright blue eyes, she looked curvy and delicate but still strong and muscled at the same time. She was round about my height, I was cautious as she wore military trousers and tank top with a tag on the front saying UK Special Unit.**

**She didn't even look at our wings, or the dead body. Instead she grinned joyously at the waking LT. Smith.**

"**Well, well, well. I finally get to bust you for something. Debbie. I am going to enjoy this and put you away for a very long time, including your buddies. And I am going to rub this in your boss's face every chance I get. Do you know what they do to naïve ex-military lieutenants in jail? You're going to find out the hard way."LT. Smith actually look scared and started threatening Cara by calling her a 'renegade delinquent', Cara just ignored her humming Beat It by Fall Out Boy. Two more SUV's pulled up and I decided I liked Cara when she threw Brigid and LT. Smith into one of the boots.**

**I, however didn't notice how she did it with such ease. Almost like she had genetically enhanced strength.**

**Fang stayed by my side as I became curious and suspicious. I had a feeling he wouldn't be leaving me alone for long. We also pigged out in the SUV's seeing as Fang had showed up with bags of Mc Donalds food.**

"**I told you to watch her." He snapped at Chase."Hey she got a new record. Got into trouble within two minutes you left. How was I to know?"**

**I ignored them and tried to clear my mind. It was going to be a long day. This was just the morning.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N okay people this is what I was told ZOMG means, apparently it was a mistake someone made trying to press the shift button when typing out OMG, and now people use it so it sounds like zo my gosh. Woohoo that's one mystery solved, now if only I could remember where I left my brain, hmmmm.**

**In the meantime enjoy this chapter. If you see my brain running away somewhere let me know. XD**

Chapter 20

"Where are we?" I asked as the SUV's pulled up outside what appeared to be a club.

"This is Streets Club. I own it and it's where I take care of things like Deb's over in the boot."

We were somewhere back in Cardiff, I saw a sign that said Ely, so I'm guessing that's where we are. Still 'take care of Deb's' what was Cara going to do torture her with thumb screws?

Streets Club didn't look like a club you'd go to for a fun night out, it didn't look like a club at all. It was a plain building in the middle of a street surrounded by houses where kids played in the gardens with water pistols.

I got out of the vehicle and so did everyone else. And silently we walked into the club. There was a reception where there was no receptionist (weird), then we walked through hallways with doors, and with my super hearing I could hear people in the rooms. We came to some double doors and walked into a type of gym. It had every exercise equipment from treadmill to a boxing ring to gymnastic equipment. There was a group of boys sitting along a balance beam laughing. They wore the same clothes as Cara.

"Andy, Mike, Joe, we have some bodies in the trunk, go haul them in for us."

The way Cara spoke made me think that it wasn't uncommon for her to bring bodies in the trunk, dead or alive.

_Angel what are you picking from Cara?_

_Max, she's so cool, she's like you cause she's strong and she thinks she's going to protect us from LT. Smith. I don't think she's entirely normal though. I think she might be an experiment. But she doesn't want to hurt us she wants to help._

Angel smiled up at me, well, angelically.

The men went to go get the victims out of the SUV's boots. Cara and Abbey sat down on some benches in the corner and waved us over. The flock sat down, Chase stood to my side and Cat was slightly crouched, her stripes where still blazing across her skin, as defined as any tattoo. Fang stood behind me and slightly to the side, I kept in a ready stance. All the better to fight you with my dear.

Cara noticed us and so did the flock who started to tense waiting for a fight.

"I take you want to know who or what I am, what I'm going to do and all that shebang. Right?"

Cara smiled at me not the least bit intimidated. I glared.

She got up with a sigh and bowed in a mocking way. "I'm Cara Riles at your service. The militaries top human bio weaponry due to an unfortunate accident. I'm also co head to one of the most military enhanced gangs that co-work with the military and home guard, we also help our friends and families on the streets and world wide. I am the youngest ever qualified assassin for military purposes and I bear no ranking because I don't work under or with any general or lieutenant. To be honest I hate them, but we have no say in the matter. Our parents and theirs before them have been drafted into a military program since the 1970's. we hate it but we have to put up with it. LT. Smith, who you've met is a sneaky little snake, so is her boss General Harrison. I've had my suspicions for years, I just cant nail them down with rock hard evidence. I am certain that Harrison and his men have been working with the experimental labs that created you and many others. Since you brought the labs and Schools to the attention of the United States they've had us working on bringing them down. But their may be a new threat called the Arena, which I've just caught wind of from Harrison. Do any of you have any questions, and do any of you have information on the Arena?"

When she finished, I'll admit it, my jaw dropped. And so it seems did everyone else's. Including Fangs though it was barely noticeable.

Before any one could answer her or utter what the f***!

The three men came back with Brigid, LT. Smith and the body bag.

The two living bodies were now awake and swearing around some gags that were placed in their gobs by the men.

"Do you mind if we dispose of the body or do you want to do that?" I did notice how LT. Smith's eyes widened and bored into Cara when she spoke.

"I was going to burn it and scatter the ashes, I don't want any scientists to get their hands on him."

Burn it so the mad scientists couldn't resurrect the dead and cast the ashes to the winds so that even in death he was free from them. It was a small thing I could do for the soul and mind they had twisted and corrupted.

"Fine, Joe go put him on ice for now and lock the door. We don't want another body to go missing like last time."Did that sound strange to you? It did to me. I raised a perplexed eyebrow at Cara. "Long story." She laughed while waving a hand warily.

"Umm, Cara what do they know, or what have you told them? Because depending on what you've said depends on where they can hang out." The one I think called Andy asked. Scratching his short blonde hair."I've told them everything. So they can go anywhere they like. It's not there's any operations running at the moment."My phone buzzed in my pocket, I was surprised I still had it. Everyone was silent when I answered.

"Hello?"

"Oh Max. It's me, Mom. Sorry I just heard what happened at the hospital. I hope you're okay and everyone else.""Yeah, we are. Though Brigid wont be turning up for work for a while."

"Oh I know, I spoke to John and Captain Perry, they say your with one of the best teams the military have, although apparently they don't obey orders and do what they like. Be careful. Also me and Ella have to go home. I'm sorry but we've been away too long. So I'm just checking on you and letting you know.""Kay mom. Thanks. And take care. Bye.""Bye, love you give my love to the flock as well. Bye."

She hung up on her last words and I quickly told the flock that mom and Ella were heading home. They looked slightly sad, but before the moaning and complaining could start Cara turned to me after smiling evilly at Brigid and LT. Smith.

"Max, we're going to try and get some information out of Debbie boo and her friend here. Do you or any of your family want to help.""Me and Chase will."

I turned around to face Fang knowing he was about to protest. And when I faced him his lips were about to open to speak.

I leaned and plated a gentle kiss to stop him. I pulled back slightly looking him in the eye. Gazzy was pretending to puke and the girls were just going 'awww'.

"I need you to take care of the flock for me. I still don't trust these people. Will you do that for me?"

He lightly wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed after saying softly, "Of course, but be careful."

The kiss was so sweet and I wanted to stay there forever.

However that dream was shortly lived. Chase pulled me by the back of my top and kept walking pulling me away from Fang.

"Cant you two not go five minutes with out locking lips?" Chase didn't seem to notice I was stumbling backwards as he kept heading towards the door.

"You know what? If you keep this up I am going to regret the day I let you get away with breaking Anthony's guitar. And if he happens to be out there somewhere and we find him, I'm going to tell him it was you."

Chase actually looked scared. Because Anthony loved that guitar and when Chase 'accidentally used it to hit someone over the head and it broke, I was an eyewitness.

So the answer is yes people, I can be evil. And if Chase keeps interrupting me and Fang, because that's twice now, he'll pay. Heck, it's got to be a brother and sister thing.

I was still hoping backwards as Cara walked out of the room of laughter with us, two of her friends I think Andy and Mike, were pulling/dragging Brigid and LT. Smith. And with Chase hauling me like this, I felt like them. But the good news was I got to glare at Brigid the whole way to the interrogation room. And I loved the fact she looked scared. That meant she would be easier to get answers from.

**A/N okay peeps this is just a filler till the big event heading up. And have you heard about the Maximum Ride movie. Catherine Hardwick wants Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart to play Max and Fang. I got one word for that: NOOOOOOO!**

**If you feel like me then sign the petition that St. Fang Of Boredom has set up there's a link on her profile. PLEASE help us save this movie.**

**If we win I'll have a party at my house (a Tesco trolley).**

**Also I'm adding some more characters, goodies and badies, so let me know if you want to be in this story with a short description of yourself and if you want to be a goodie or badie, I cant guarantee if you'll be a goodie or badie put I'll take your preference into account. XD**

**As always review review review. **

**I WANT WINGS ~*~**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N This is going to be a twist that I worked into my freaky crazy little plot. Not a long chapter but does have meaning behind it. I'm still taking requests for people who want to be characters and Asdill if you are reading this you will be in the next chapter.**

**I OWN NOTHING APART FROM CHASE CAT AND SOME OTHER CHARACTER THE FLOCK AND THE WHOLE SHEBANG BELONG TO JP, UNFORTUNATLEY I'M NOT HIM.**

**Glad I got that out of the way. O.O on with the story. ;)**

Chapter 21

My day so far seemed okay. I mean sure I had been attacked in the hospital, but look on the brightside: Jeb was away somewhere far from me, my mom and Ella where safe back home, I had already kissed Fang today, I had eliminated one of my arch enemies (Jethro), I had proof that Brigid was a traitor along with LT. Smith, and now I got to torture Brigid and Debbie for information.

Well technically I asked questions, Chase played the good cop and Cara was the bad cop who hurt them using a telephone, fists, pen and a sock. I'm not even going to explain.

Brigid was the first to crack saying how she had only recently been bribed by Mr. Chu to help him. We sent her away and Cara said she would be in a 'special jail' that she managed. Really though Cara was only eighteen yet she seemed to have a finger in every pie around the world.

Then Cara used the sock and pen on Debbie. Still a stupid name for her. I have nothing against the world popularity of Debbie's just this particular one so don't get mad at me when I pick on her name. Thanks.

Then Debbie spilled. "All right Mr. Chu and General Harrison have made contact with the Arena, they say there's one specific experiment that they want back, something called the Black Burn project. I don't know what it is so don't bother asking. Mr. Chu sent Brigid to me and I gathered enough information to send off to the Arena. They know one of you is the experiment they're looking for, but they're not sure which one. We were meant to capture Max and then the rest and send them off to one of the labs in this area so they could undergo testing and the sought for experiment could be found."

So the Arena were looking for someone. It couldn't be any of my flock because they'd never been there, so it had to be either me, Chase or Cat. And what was this Black Burn project? It sounded familiar and by the look on Chase's face it seemed familiar to him too. Though he looked puzzled.

Cara walked over to Debbie setting the pen down on a nearby table. "Well Debbie-boo I'm certainly going to miss ya. You're not going to a nice public convict prison. You're going to my old man maxed out lawless minds facility, higher security than Alcatraz and more deadly than the streets we run in. I hope you enjoy. And Chu's going down I have evidence on him, next I've just got to corner the rat of a boss you have, Harrison."

Cara walked out singing a merry tune, I stayed there not entirely convinced that we had got all the information yet. My birdie senses were tingling (get it? Its off Spiderman, when he says spider instead of - oh forget it, I only humour myself).

Chase watched me as I walked over to Debbie who was tied down to a metal chair securely.

"Why do I get the feeling that there's something you aren't telling us? Like when I go back to my family I'm going to get a nasty surprise."She got a evil smirk on her face, and I could see the madness clearly shine from her eyes.

"Because you are Maximum Ride, no matter how many enemies you take down, you will still have to watch your back around every corner danger waits for you."I caught her by the throat. "If any of my family get hurt after this little confrontation I'll make you wish that you were already dead."I squeezed my hand and felt her throat begin to crush as she gasped. I let go just as abruptly as I grabbed her and walked out with Chase.

One of the Cara's friends was standing by the door and went in to take Debbie away.

Me and Chase walked back in silence for a while. Till he spoke."This, Black Burn project it sounds familiar but I don't know where from though."I looked at him and smiled slightly. "Yeah, same here. I think we must've seen or heard it at the Arena. Who knows?"

He didn't answer knowing it wasn't really a question but a blatant challenge to the universe to kick me in the gut with something obvious.

I walked back into the gym to see everyone on the floor surrounded by takeout bags from different shops. Gazzy tried to say something with his mouth full and sprayed bits of meat on to Nudge she squealed and hit him upside the head.

I started to walk to them when something caught my sight. It was nothing really, just one of the gymnast poles. Only there was a machine back in the Arena that looked like that, the pole would rotate and you had to keep changing your grip, if you fell you would land on small broken pieces of glass, that was our motivation we were told. They'd suspend us ten feet off the floor and see how long we could last. I remembered the fear of each individual finger slowly slipping off and losing strength, the horror when you knew you were going to fall and could do nothing about it.

I didn't realise it but I had stopped walking and was staring at the equipment that was used cruelly against me and so many others. Chase knowing what I had been through knew why I was captivated by the sight of something that looked harmless but had been twisted to bring pain and fear.

"It's okay Max. Everything in the Arena came from something, it's okay to get a little shocked. It's harmless in the real world. And if I have anything to say about it, they wont do anything like that to you again. That's a promise." Chase put a gentle hand on my shoulder and I nodded surfacing from dreaded memories, and walked back to my flock, ignoring their curious glances.

Fang lifted a chip to his mouth and before he could eat it, I darted to his side kissed his cheek said 'thank you,' and ate his chip.

He looked at me and I grinned, eventually he smirked and offered me another one. I could faintly hear Nudge say 'aaawwwww.' And Angel giggling, Gazzy was decidedly ignoring us stuffing his face and Iggy was talking to Cat about bombs. Wait! Cat was into bombs?!

Guess I didn't see that one coming.

I was just eating another chip, thanks to Fang, when Chase pulled me away and handed me a plate of chips.

"Here's yours now you can stop nicking his."

Well, over protective much? Chase was becoming a swift pain in the butt, I would have to have a talk with him soon. Just to please I ate my own chips, whilst sitting next to Fang.

He had a arm slung over my shoulder as we sat on the bench and was grinning widely at Chase who looked positively murderous.

I observed my flock and friends like I wasn't there. I was serious when I said to Debbie that I had feeling I was going to get a nasty surprise. And this foreboding was getting stronger, in the pit of my stomach sat a lead weight, my throat was dry, and my mind was distant seeking everything that could be a threat.

Because I was listening so intently, not paying attention to the voices and people around me, I heard it. The slight tinkle of something pure, glass breaking and falling.

Then I knew, we were hunted, and feared. When you had the types of people like we had after you, the sound of breaking glass meant something had been thrown into the building. It was why I felt the way I did, because there was danger.

Iggy heard it a second after I did. I was already yelling though. "Duck!" as I shouted I threw myself at Nudge who was standing on one of the balance beams. I tackled her over the beam and landed on the floor trying to cover her body with mine. Just in time to, because there was an ear deafening boom in the same moment and I could feel debris around me falling. Big bits. I waited for the solid rain to end, and prayed that my family was safe. Then something connected with my back making me gasp in pain as it trapped my wing, then something else hit the base of my neck. I saw only blackness.

**A/N ohh cliffe, anyways people review and tell me what you think. Also the next chapter is commng slowly I think I've got writers block, I know where this is going I've just got get there. No what I mean? ;) Anyhoo I survived my friends mad shopping spree !-! And I think I might do a chapter with Max in a tutu, just to be evil.- **

**Max: Don't you dare *glares evils***

**Me: My story can do what I want *sticks tongue out*:P**

**Max: I'll set my brother on you?**

**Me: I own your brother *smiles smug***

**Max: You don't own me. **

**Me: Well, no I don't…..*shifts nervously***

**Max attacks and puts me in a head lock aaaarggghhh. **

**REVIEW :P**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N okay hopefully I've found a way out of this writers block. And to all of those who demanded here's the next chapter. Can anyone guess who the new character is? It isn't that hard.**

Chapter 22

Angel's POV

I don't know what happened. One minute we were all eating food, and I was getting unhappy disturbed thoughts from Max. I chose to ignore her, she seems to have a part of her that is so dark and filled with pain that it hurts me just to hear her thoughts of it. But we know now, she was different from us but now she isn't.

Gazzy was trying to put as many chips in his mouth as he could, he looked like a fish on dry land and I was laughing. Nudge was behind me on the balance beam, she kept saying she was going to be a beautiful gymnast and that she was practicing for the Olympics. Then the echo I had of Max's thought seemed to go still and yet work incredibly fast. Then she yelled 'duck!' as she threw herself at Nudge.

Everything seemed to explode with a loud bang. We all listened to Max, it's nearly as effective when Gazzy or Iggy yell duck, when someone like us says that you don't mess around.

I was on the floor under the balance beam, when the ceiling and walls shook and began to cave in. I covered my head with my arms as bits of plaster and wood shot past, the huge bang and boom of an unmistakable bomb soon left, and my ears were ringing with the explosion the sound made.

I looked up to see that only parts of the room had fallen, there was a chunk of the ceiling right above me, stopped only by the balance beam. Where Nudge had been, I dimly thought.

I crawled out between two pieces of wood and a covering of plaster. I saw Gazzy and Iggy crawling out from under some benches, Cara was dusting herself off and sending her friends to go and check on everyone else and to bring LT. Smith here. Chase was picking a beam up that was on Cat's arm.

Where was everyone else?

I looked around and saw something snowed in white plaster dust move, Fang. He looked like he had been knocked over into the corner, he looked okay though, just worried.

I looked into his mind to see what was worrying him, and instantly my thoughts became panicked as well, when I realized. Max should be yelling 'report!' by now at the top of her lungs. And we would all be rushing to answer her to tell her we're okay, but instead we're all just picking ourselves up slowly. And I cant see Max or Nudge anywhere. I search with my mind trying to find their thoughts. I don't hear Max's but I hear Nudge. She's confused and there's someone with her, a huge weight crushing them both. They're trapped, cant move, can barely see.

I point to a pile of debris behind the balance beam. "They're there, they're stuck."

Fang knew who I meant and started pulling away chunks of debris. Chase looked around quickly not understanding, then he did and I saw fear flicker through his eyes and mind. I hoped Nudge was okay but he prayed that Max was not taken from him, again.

Iggy, Cat and Gazzy quickly came over to help. Cara and Abby had gone to check on their friends.

"Angel try and talk to them." Fang prompted, his voice held no emotion but I could read it all in his thoughts. I nodded to let him know I would.

_Nudge can you hear me?_

_Angel! Angel what happened? Did Gazzy or Iggy set a bomb off? Everything's dark, I think Max is with me but she's not moving. I feel trapped, I cant breathe, what's…_

_Calm down Nudge. We're getting you out now, talk to us or something._

_What should I say? I cant think of anything to say._

_Sing The Itsy Bitsy Spider so we know where you are._

Soon we could hear Nudges voice singing and that helped everyone to find which pieces to move. It took a while and Nudge changed the song to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, the old nursery rhymes that Max taught us were comforting to us. Eventually I could see someone's fingers, then the hand. We found Max and Nudge. It didn't look good and I still couldn't hear Max's thoughts. Nudge was lying flat on her back, Max was lying on top of Nudge in a attempt to shield her. Which must have worked because Max had blood running down the back of her neck and Nudge seemed perfectly okay.

"Max!" Fang picked Max up and place her on the ground gently from the fallen debris. Most of the building was still standing almost as though it was built to withstand a bomb. No one moved to take Max away from Fang, his mind was shaking with the knowledge she was hurt and he couldn't protect her.

I tried to reach her again with my mind. But all I got was blank numbness, a sense of floating. We just all stared dumbly at her hoping she was okay, because what could we really do, apart from wait?

Max POV

My head hurt. Wherever I was, whatever had happened, that was the only thing I knew. I had aches and bruises, some cuts and old wounds. But my head was pounding.

I heard heavy breathing and running footsteps.

Come on Max time to put on your leader feathers. Check on the flock. The flock….

My eyes snapped open and I managed the word 'report' my voice sounded cracked.

I could see fang crouched over me looking anxious, and the rest of the flocks worried faces behind him. They all cracked a smile and Fang silently chuckled at my attempt to yell report. Okay, so perhaps I was the one who got hurt. Wait Nudge, where was she?

I forced myself to get up and shake off Fangs hands as he tried to hold me down. I got my first sight of the room, and it looked surprisingly in good condition after a bomb explosion. I ignored the fallen debris and plaster and focused in each of my flock and assessed the damage. They were fine, if a little covered in plaster dust.

"Will someone please tell the blind kid what the heck happened? In case you didn't know I missed everything because I think I blinked."

You have just got to love Iggy and his sense of wit and humour.

I got to my feet with the help of Fang.

"I don't know Ig, I think we brought the house down, well part of it." I answered as seriously as I could in a situation like this.

He smiled and fixed his sightless eyes on the spot where I was. Yes I know, I've been asking myself the same question for the past couple years. How does he do that? I still don't know the answer.

"Our fearless leader is back!" Gazzy whooped and that seemed to break the tension. Some of the other laughed nervously and I swayed whilst holding onto Fang's arm. And for those of you who have over protective big brother who don't like it when you cling to your boyfriend, you know what happens next.

Chase came over and literally scooped me up and carried to one of the remaining benches. I threw death glares at him which he ignored. Fang smirked and scowled all at the same time, I wonder how he does that.

Chase put his hands on my head and turned it this way and that way. "You hit your head." was his all wisdom made verdict.

"Oh, sure? That must be why my head hurts." I said in a airy headed voice.

Cara came threw the doors with a brunette with blonde highlight, freckles dotted on her face, who seemed hyped up on sugar at the moment. There was also a man with dread locks pulling Debbie along by her collar.

"I see that everyone appears to be all right. Turns out Debbie had somehow gotten information out on our location. Asidill here is one of our investigators/sugar crazed teens. She'll tell you what happened. And ignore her if she goes of track."

"Huh, I do not go off track. Anyway, Debbie had a tracker device in her watch, I'd never have guessed, it was a pretty expensive watch too. Ah well its ashes now. My bet is they figured out where we were, and to shut us up they paid one of the local kids to bomb us. They do that down here for a fifty, and I know it was a local cause it was a petrol bomb, shoddily made, and we caught the kids hiding behind a red Corsa."

The guy with dreadlocks and holding Debbie frowned. "It was purple."

"No it wasn't, it was red I saw it with my own eyes. You're a man, most men are scientifically proven to be colour blind, red is used to make purple so you must have been mistaken. Also the light reflecting of the car must've made you see it wrong. But it was absolutely, definitely a red car."

_Max she's lying. She knows it was purple but she's trying to convince us it was red. She's strange._

I laughed a little and Cara looked exasperated.

"We're all going to stay here and try to work out a game plan to hit Mr. Chu and General Harrison where it hurts. We've also got to keep an eye out for attacks from the Arena, reports have come in about some strange animal attacks in Swansea and Camarthan. We got a hold of a corpse and it turns out, they're actually experiment that are deranged and more animalistic relying on the instincts. We think that the Arena's trying to distract us, or they're looking for someone."

I froze, the Arena were getting more desperate and when that happens the got more deadly. I couldn't put my flock through that. They were just beginning to settle down, I couldn't make them go on the run. The Arena were looking for someone and there were only three options who that could be. If I took out those three options they would be safe. I would make them safe. I would have to leave them, and go with Chase and Cat after the Arena.

Because they may have survived the labs and the School, but the Arena is like nothing they've ever experienced. It might just destroy them and make them permanently scarred for life with haunting nightmares. I would take them down, then I would come back to my family. Me and Chase were going to get revenge for what they did to us and to Sky.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N Heya I think I've come out of my writers block. Because, get this, I have an idea. I know they can be very dangerous and deadly for someone like me. And hopefully I'll update every day or three if I get too busy. Thanks for reviewing and keep doing it.

**Chapter 23**

**I sat on the sofa, with Chase and silently wrote a message on a notepad I'd been drawing on and passed it to him.**

**We have to leave. And the flock cant come with us. It's too dangerous, I'm going after the Arena, you in?**

**I knew what his reply would be, he was my brother, he wouldn't leave. I hoped. We were in a entertainment room with some of Cara's 'people'. Gazzy was talking to Asidill about the petrol bomb that the street kids had been paid to made. Nudge and Cat was over in the corner watching something called Project CatWalk or DogWalk or some other type of animal, with a group of girly looking girls. Iggy was, and I can barely believe this either, playing cards with a group of men/boys and winning. Fang was over the other side of the room on a sofa with a sleeping Angel on his lap. With Angel being asleep it would be okay to think about what we would do. **

**Chase passed the note back to me and no one noticed. **

**Course I'm in. Are you sure you can leave them?**

**That was the million dollar question wasn't it? My answer was simple enough.**

**I'll have to be strong enough, they'll manage.**

**When he read that he nodded slightly and put his arm around my shoulders. We both smiled a little. I would go back on the run, but this time it would be without the flock. I was more certain than ever that what the Arena would throw at us would be too much for them. It would hurt, indefinably. My heart would break, but not as much as when I lost Sky, because they would be alive and if the madness ever ended I could return home to them. That's what will keep me fighting the hope that I'll be able to take down the Arena and return home. Not many people know how much one word can effect you and hold so much meaning. Home. Family. Flock. Those were the words that meant the most to me. Seeming inconsequential and easily used in the modern day and language, I had little in the world. Kids sat at home complaining about not having the latest high-tech phone or something, and there's others dying in poverty and there's us running for our lives always looking over our shoulders. That was no way to live.**

**One of the hardest decisions of my life, I was about to make myself make. **

**I took a deep breath and exhaled, letting everything go. I would be leaving, and they may never forgive me. I had a sudden burst of inspiration and grabbed the notepad. When I was done writing I leaned over to whisper in Chase's ear.**

"**Now." One word that meant leaving behind everything. I folded the paper up as Chase stood up and called Cat over. They walked out holding hands and smiling, no one suspected anything and paid no attention. When they were gone I waited five minutes before getting up and walking over to Fang. I placed the folded up piece of paper in Angels slightly curled hand. Fang raised an eyebrow at me.**

"**I drew her a picture, she should like it." I smiled as I kissed her forehead.**

"**You okay?" He was cautious. He knew me too well, he knew something was up. He trusted me though and that was my advantage.**

"**Yeah, everything's fine. Considering we got bombed not long ago, we are a-okay."**

**Before he could as me anything else I kissed him fiercely and quickly. Standing up I said my last words to him. "I'm going to go see what they've done to LT. Smith/Debbie and Brigid. Keep the flock safe till I get back. It might take a while to get what I want out of those people."**

**Oh shit! If Fang pays close attention he might notice the double meaning to my words. But fate had changed to favour me in this one moment.**

"**Sure, just hurry back and try to find Cat and Chase and tell them to stop making out and get back in here."**

**His famous last words to me caused me to smile, despite the despair inside of me. I took one more glance at my flock before I walked out the door, and out of their lives.**

**I prayed that they would be safe. **

**I met Chase and Cat outside and we started walking to a dark alley to where we could take off. Chase was going to carry Cat, seeing as she had no wings. It was late evening and the dusk would make it harder for us to be spotted from the sky. We would fly by night and find a place to rest for the day. We were going after our one enemy, and we were going to make them sorry for ever trying to play the genetic god game with us.**

**As I snapped my wings open to take, my ever budding companion shared some pearls of wisdom. Yep, the good old Voice.**

**Max, you shouldn't leave the flock. Forget about the Arena. Focus on the global warming campaigns, eventually they'll leave you alone.**

_You're wrong. The Arena will never leave us alone, not till either we're dead or they are. The flock have never dealt with this and neither should they. This is my haunted past not theirs. You can give me as many brain attacks as you like but I'm still going after them, my flock can do the campaigns without me._

If it were possible for the Voice to sigh, it managed it. And I got the sense of regret and sadness, but also pride. It was as if I was becoming more aware of the Voice in my head weird.

**I understand Maximum, you do what you have to do to protect those you love. But be careful, the Arena are enough to make even Satan falter in his footsteps, you should know you lived in it.**

_You sound like you have to. Care to tell me who you exactly are?_

And here's a big surprise for everyone………..the………..voice… didn't answer. :O

I know I was shocked too (please notice heavy sarcasm).

I jumped up to join Chase and flew away from the family I had tried my best to protect and care for the past ten-ish years of my life.

No matter what would happen now, at least they were safe. Then why did my heart ache with every stroke of my wings that took me further away from them?


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been busy. However I will try to update quicker. This is where some more of Max's darker past plays in and things are goin to get very excited. I should know, I wrote it.**

**DISCLAIMER: (I hate these) I only own the flock and everyone in my dreams, but I do own the Arena and all of its charmingly wonderful inhabitants.**

**I will rule the world, and Max and the flock shall be mine! Mwahahahaha!!!! *gets thrown into a padded cell and starts talkin to winnie the pooh.* I will get out, these extra padded walls cant contain me! Are you with me winnie?!**

**In other news on with the story……**

_**Chapter 24**_

Gazzy's POV

I was talking with Asidill and she was sneakily giving me some chemicals and wires that should help me in making mine and Iggy's best bomb EVER!!! When I stashed everything in my pockets I glanced up to make sure Max hadn't caught me.

Huh, that was weird. She was nowhere. Normally if we go somewhere new Max always stays close to watch us like hawks.

But she was nowhere, I'll admit I was worried. It would be okay if she had only gone to get something but Cat and Chase were missing as well. I looked over to Fang who had my little sister curled up on his lap, she was just starting to wake up.

I ran over to Fang and poked him in the side. He sent me one of his silent death glares, and in traditional Fang speak he asked me what I wanted, by raising one eyebrow.

"Where's Max?"

"She went to go and have a word with our prisoners."

"Oh." it was hard to talk to Fang sometimes, he mostly just sat there looking like the dark enforcer or something. But now things were weird, Fang and Max had started kissing, ugh! That's like watching you're elder brother and sister making out, wrong but technically we're not related so it is alright. It just feels strange and weird to be around them.

I tried to dig around in my brain for something to talk about, instead Angel woke up and stretched her arms out. She frowned when she heard a crumpling sound. She looked at her fist and opened it to reveal a piece of folded paper.

"What's this?" Ange asked.

"Max drew you a picture and put it in your hand so you could look at it when you woke up." Again Fang was the one explaining.

As if by a magical coincidence, just as Angel unfolded the drawing to look at it Nudge and Iggy came over.

Yep my life is just full of these little magical coincidences, they are either a good thing or a bad thing.

Iggy was grinning like an idiot. "Oh yeah, the blind kid has done it. I just won seventy quid, and I cant even see the cards, well I can feel the colours on them. But still I won!"

Iggy raised his hand up for a high five and I slapped one with him. Nudge started babbling about Iggy being able to read by feeling colours and somehow she changed it into a conversation on what penguins would like wearing polka dots. But she was soon interrupted by Angel who gasped.

We turned to look at her only to find tears in her eyes, she was clutching the drawing tightly.

"Is the drawing really that bad?" I asked with a grin.

"I..it's not a drawing, but it is from Max." That was all she got to say before she started bawling. Nudge wrapped Angel in a tight hug. I quickly told Iggy what was happening even though I wasn't sure myself yet. Fang grabbed the 'drawing' out of Angels hand and looked at it. What ever was on it shocked him, he showed to most emotion on his face that I have ever seen, his eyes widened and his jaw went slack, he slowly sunk into the sofa.

We has gathered an audience and Cara and Asidill and everyone were giving us inquiry looks.

Annoyed I grabbed the paper out of Fangs hand and looked to see what all the fuss was about.I think I had a similar reaction to Fang, only I didn't sink to the floor.

The drawing wasn't a drawing at all, it was a note and it said:

_Angel, sweetie this isn't just for you, it's for everyone. I am so sorry, because of me you were targeted. None of you knew anything about the Arena and if I had never stayed with you when Jeb took us out of the School, you would never have known a place like it existed. _

_Before I get to the punch line, Angel no reading/controlling anyone's minds unless you have to. Gazzy and Iggy don't blow anyone or anything up unless it's a bad guy. Nudge control your chatter mouth and try not to use like more than once in a sentence. Fang smile once in a while. Total don't pee on anyone's furniture. And all of you be safe, and don't you dare come looking for me. I have a few of my own personal demons to deal with. You saw how bad Jethro was, the other are worse. Chase and Cat are with me because they know what the Arena are capable of. Hopefully I'll be back soon, but if I'm not just live a normal life, save the world for me and I'll try to come home to you when I can._

_I love you all, and you better obey my orders because I am the leader (you know it) J be safe and fly safe._

_-Max XXX_

This letter meant that, Max, was, gone….?

No Max couldn't be gone, Max was our leader, Max was our mother, Max was our sister, Max was our friend, Max was the annoying one who told us what to do, Max was the one who hugged us when we cried, Max was the one who loved us no matter what we did.

But then again, I had never really seen her cry, not like we had. Maybe a couple of times, but for only a minute or so. She always seemed like she had to be tough, unemotional. Not like the way fang was, she would laugh, smile, show love and anger, but she never let herself open and feel vulnerable. When the flock split she was strong enough to lead half the flock across the world and to fight till she thought it was the end. She tried to protect us with every breath in her body, she made us laugh in our weakest moments when we were stuck in the School. It was Max that made us smile and give us courage when we were terrified and she was sarcastic.

She hated everyone in the labs that thought they could do anything to anyone, even when there was nothing and we were silent she would laugh. She was fierce, she protected us. Maybe that was how she had lived through this Arena. Could there really be a place worse than the School.

Iggy poked me in the side. "Will someone please tell the blind kid what he cant see, is going on?"

I swallowed as I let the realization sink in. Then I felt the pain and tears. "Max wrote us a note. She's gone and she might not come back."

The tears fell and I clenched my fists, trying to be strong like Max always was. But when would she come back? And how or what were we meant to do now? Without her…..

**A/N okay this was just short and to fill the gap between the next chapter. Now the fun begins. So review review review. And I will send one of the amazing characters to be your servant for a day, on auction are Max, Iggy, Cat, Chase and Total. **

**Enjoy it! REVIEW…**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N Me Myself and I came up with this while I was falling asleep. And we had to work hard to make it make sense. We did good even if we do say so ourselves. Enjoy, I was and am in a loopy mood. And yes this was meant to sound like some nutty's crazy ramblings mmmmannhhheeyyyll (nonsense).**

Chapter 25

It has been too long since I had seen them. The separation hurt me physically as well as mentally. I had been gone for little over three months. I hoped they were safe and happy. Probably doing something to promote global awareness, all I had done was kill some depraved experiments, two crazed scientists, twenty odd bionic machines that were falling apart. And fly halfway around the world twice, chasing paper trails and false leads.

Me, Chase and Cat were currently in Melbourne, Australia. I was currently walking in an alley behind a tall glass building. Oooh I know ominous. If this was a movie freaky, deadly ninjas would jump out and attack me now.

I was on my own. Cat and Chase were in a small two star hotel on the edge of the city. We had bought two adjoining rooms and I felt like doing this one thing on my own. Since I left my flock, Chase had been by my side 24/7. Truth be told I only wanted Fang by my side, and if I couldn't, I wanted no one else.

Chase had hacked into one of the Arena mainframes and this address had shown up, inside I would hopefully find some thing that will lead me to the Arena and a way to shut it down. I had changed a lot the three months. The Maximum Ride who managed to burn even water could now cook. Well it was either I improved or I starved, I thought reading a few cookbooks couldn't harm me. And it turned out that Chase was an even worse cook than I had been. It must run in the genes. I blame science!

Cat had made me get my hair cut in a style, and she had even put some makeup and dressed me up for this one mission. And no I have not gone girly, makeup and dressy clothes are required. And I do have a limit. Which was why I wasn't slathered in the stuff.

I had tight faded blue jeans, block heel boots, a silver tank top and a crop top leather jacket. I loved the leather jacket, I'd picked it up a month ago in California.

I walked out around to the front of the glass building and walked in like I owned the place. There was a twenty-ish guy sitting behind the reception desk. I walked up to him and the entire time his eyes roamed over me. I had to hold back so wouldn't punch him in the face and stuff his body somewhere.

I leaned forward and flicked my slightly longer than shoulder length hair and smiled at him.

"Hi. I'm Jennifer Merks. I have a private appointment with a Mr. Lukes. Could you please direct me to where the meeting is being held?" How was that for acting? If I ever survived my daring life I could become an actress, you know with wings.

I read the guys name tag and it said, Joel. I though, well Joel I guess your lucky tonight 'cause you're not my target.

Joel a.k.a soon to be knocked out clicked on to the computer and searched till he found my name.

I guess I should clue you all in. A while back, we had managed to hack into a main computer and set up false identities in the Arena's records. We were known by different names, mine for example: Jennifer Merks. We were, according to the records, the tope experiment assassins around and the scientists who were chasing us sent us e-mails to our private anonymous account on a job to take out the infamous Maximum Ride and her companions.

So we set up meetings, got as much information as we could then disappeared. We kept our supposedly clients unknown and posted fake records when we had access to an Arena computer. And every time they fell for it.

"Kay, got your file here." Joel said as he scrolled through the computer screen. He whistled slowly, "Wow, you are deadly. But a great killer it seems. Kay your appointment is confirmed and Mr. Lukes is running a little late so you'll have to wait in the board room. Follow me."

Joel came out from behind a desk after calling someone else to come watch the front door. We walked to the side of the entry and through some metal detectors. It beeped when he walked through and it beeped when I walked through. He paused turning around and drawing his gun. I slowly took off my leather jacket to reveal my holster complete with my pair of .22 calibers. I took the holster off and handed it over to Joel who seemed shocked at my cooperativeness. "Sorry, old habits die hard. I'm too used to carrying them with me everywhere."

Joel threw the holster into a small metal box by the side of the metal detectors. "Sorry but I have to search you, just in case your packing anything else. Protocol."

Yeah right, protocol my ass. But I let him pat me down while he grinned to himself the whole damn time. Okay, unconscious and a broken nose is what he's getting, I decided.

When I was done being 'searched' Joel walked me over to a pair of lifts and my heart lurched.

But my cover meant I had to act like a normal person and endure the small, confined metal box. I kept my expression clear whilst Joel typed in the code, 2659, and flashed his ID card. Inside though I was climbing the walls and ripping my hair out at its roots. We were on the 26th floor and those five minutes were the longest of my life. When Joel turned to unlock the door of the board room where I was meeting my next victim, I mean informant.

"Wait in here, Mr. Lukes will be here in a minute." He walked out and I practically danced in relief. The room was full with a long oval desk in the middle that seated around thirty people and had windows all across the right side of the wall. And the best part? No cameras in this room. I had around seven minutes to get ready. I walked across to one of the windows and opened it as high as it would go. Then in a typical birdkid style I jumped out. My jacket had designer slits in it so my wings folded out neatly. I flew silently down to the alley I had been in earlier. I landed by the skip and took out a tattered bag. I opened it up and kitted myself out with knives, guns, throwing stars and other little devices.

I'll let you in on a tip, when I styled my hair, wore makeup and snazzy clothing, no one ever compared me to Maximum Ride who wore torn jeans and old t-shirts. It was like I became someone else. And the scientists were all clueless. For people who were so smart, they were very dumb.

I threw the bag in a skip that would be emptied in the morning and flew back up to the window and slid back in. I wasn't noticed because how many people look out their windows at 1:30 am and pay close attention to every flying thing they see? I don't see a raise of hands.

As I closed the window I heard the lifts down the hall and ding as the door opened. I pulled a pack of chewing gum out of my back pocket and popped one in my mouth. As I started chewing the door opened. I leaned casually against the back of a chair as a thirty year old man with dark skin and dreads walked in wearing a suit.

He walked in and closed the door with Joel leaning on the wall outside.

"Hello, I presume?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Please call me Liam." he smiled and I had the mental impression of a piranha.

"Liam." I said in acknowledgement. See when you dealt with this people, you had to play a certain way. And I'd perfected my technique in just a few months. Me, Chase and Cat had caused enough trouble that the Arena's attention seemed wholly directed on us and it never strayed towards my flock, which was just what I wanted.

"Before we get to business, chewing gum?" I held the packet out to him, smiling flirtatiously whilst I blew a bubble. When he reached for the gum, I grabbed his wrist with my other hand, pulled him forward and scissor with my hand to his throat so he couldn't speak. Then I jabbed the back of his neck hitting pressure points and he went limp on the floor.

Phase one, done and dusted.

**Hehe a lil cliffe. What do ya think? Max is changed and you will find out how much in the next chapter which is goin to b loaded up soon, sometime today.**

**R and R please, and I am goin to rule the world with winnie the pooh as my evil sidekick. **


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N and just like I promised the next chapter up in the same day. Boy aren't you lucky. **

**Winnie: hi everybody! **

**Me: Silence you fool. Or I shall replace you.**

**Winnie: Yeah with who?**

**Me: With badass Max.**

**Max: Why am I here?**

**Me: Because Winnie's bein a dick ;P**

**Max: *mumbles* No wonder your called CrazyLittleKookoo.**

Chapter 26

I walked over to the door leaving the unconscious Liam out of sight, so when I opened it and pocked my head out Joel couldn't see anything. I silently closed the door behind me and pulled the same chewing gum trick to knock him out without suspicion. Then I hastily shoved him on a closet in a cupboard in the boardroom, after I broke his nose of course like I promised. Then I positioned my new buddy Liam in a armchair and repressed his pressure points. He went slack and was about to jump up when I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Move and I snap your neck. Stay still and answer my questions and you live. Got it?"

Liam warily nodded and I smiled and sat on the table in front of him, leaning on my open palms.

"So you wanted an assassin to take someone out. Who was the intended target?"

He glared at me and his eyes shifted slightly to the door on his left.

I cleared my throat and grinned evilly. FYI I picked the evil smirk up off the mad white coats. "Don't even try, you'd be dead three steps out of your chair. And either you answer willingly or for every hesitation I break one of your fingers."

Sweat broke out on Liam's skin and I smiled sweetly as he answered.

"We wanted you to take out Maximum Ride and the two hybrids travelling with her. There was also another target that we wanted to send you after. The information is all on the documents I brought with me."

I walked over by the door where a brief case sat and opened it to find a thick manila envelope inside, with the words: Target Info on it. I hastily put it inside my leather jacket. The information I wanted was on the 'other target' so I quickly walked to Liam and jabbed him with a small syringe. I hated those damned things, but they were necessary. Me and Chase had found them in a lab in our first raid. The scientists had whipped up a concoction that could give people amnesia. They ruled it out as a failure because it only got rid of the last hour or two of memory. Which was perfect to keep my cover a secret, and why my missions never lasted more than an hour and a half. Just to be on the safe side.

I gave Joel the injection and put him back out in the hall with a small plastic bag in his hand. The bag had cannabis residue so everything would be thought of as an effect of taking drugs. See was I good, or was I good?

I walked back into the boardroom and turned on the computer. It asked for a code. I typed in the same code for the elevators, 2695. In these places most of the codes were the same.

I searched through the files till I found the security footage. I deleted all of the recordings of when I was in the building and the records of my appointment. I left no traces. I shut down the computer and jumped out the window so no cameras could record me leaving the building.

After eight mile of flying I landed on top of a huge metal bridge and took out the Target Info. I flicked through my record, on the next page I paused. My eyes widened and I headed for the hotel we were at as fast as I could. We needed to pack and we needed to find this person. Fast.

Fang's POV

Three months. It had been three months since she'd left. Left the flock, left me. We had tried searching for her. But it seemed like she had vanished off the face of the earth. My heart actually ached every time I looked at my family at realised she wasn't with us. Her excuse was we couldn't handle the Arena, yeah right. We could take on anyone and anything, as long as we were together. Bottom line is we weren't together. And we had looked everywhere and nothing.

We lived with Cara in a mansion in quite place in Wales. She went away for days on end and she would come back after looking for Max. We weren't allowed to go, some kind of fucking military rule. We stayed for one reason. If Max did come back, she would find us because we hadn't moved.

I was sitting in the window seat in the front room, when Cara walked in. "She's been spotted. Flying."

I instantly knew who she meant and I stood up. My eyes frantic. "Where?"

"South Australia. Melbourne. We caught her on one of our satellites. I got Andy tracking her threw the Global satellite. She's moving fast. When we get a set location, and if you still want to go after her, we'll move out." Cara walked out as fast as she came in.

Max, we had found her. She was, in Australia? She'd flown far. I would find her, and talk some sense into that stupidly thick skull of hers. I walked up the stairs to find the flock and tell them the good news. If I wasn't No Emotions Fang, I would have run up the stairs yelling at the top of my lungs and dancing for joy. But I was No Emotions Fang, so I put on my mask and walked through the door, to find everyone in a hyper mood. "We're going to get Max back." Nudge sang.

I looked at Angel who was spinning around holding Gasman's hands.

Trust the mind-reading six year old. But I let a small smirk show on my face. I would get Max back soon. Then I would chain, weld and tie her to my side.

**A/N okay I'm sorry I know it's short and pretty lame. But the next chapter will be better and less lame. Update coming soon so R and R in the mean time.**

**CrazyLittleKookoo out! :P**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N yippee another chapter. I'm spoiling you all. Enjoy it or else…. Me and Winnie the Pooh have made up, but we are not ruling the world together, I think I might hire Snoopy he can bite peoples ankles and pee on their lawns. Yes, evil at its worst mwahaha… XD**

Chapter 27

I got to our hotel in record time. I ignored all of the looks people gave me as I ran through the lobby and up three flights of stairs. I swiped my key card in the door and burst through to find Chase and Cat making out. Great, my brother was topless.

They jumped apart as I barged in.

"Damn Max. Ever heard of knocking?" Chase complained.

"Ever hear of staying alert? If I had a gun you'd be dead already."

"Gee morbid much Max?" Cat yelled as I walked into the bedroom and pulled out our old backpacks. I grabbe dthe few clothes we had and walked into the small kitchenette. I grabbed food from the cupboards, our files and records off the table and pulled out some of the weapons we had 'borrowed' from various places and people. There were too many things that I threw into the three bags to name all of them, so just think of what three mutants fighting evil on the run would need, and that's what I packed.

"What the hell are you doing Max?" Chase asked as he followed me around.

I grabbed a shirt and started dusting everything down. And no I was not cleaning, I was getting rid of our fingerprints.

"We're leaving now."

Chase grabbed me by the arms and held me still. His eyes were scanning every inch of me. "Why? Did the mission go wrong? Are you hurt?"

I pushed him off and rolled my eyes. Still a little smile crossed my lips.

"It was a success. But right now we're heading west to Orlando in Florida."

"Why? I thought you'd already been to Disney world."

Cat's simple reminder that I didn't have the flock with me, struck deep. Sure I had hated the huge crowds of people and crowded queues But at least I'd had them with me.

Cat took in my expression and opened her mouth to say something. I cut her off.

"Not Disney World. To Floritan. Cat seeing as you don't want to fly with us, you can take a plane to Lake Wales Municipal Airport. In fact Chase go with her I want to fly on my own."

"Hey, we aren't splitting up. We can all catch a flight, or I'll carry Cat, but we stay together."

"No, I'm flying by myself. Like it or not. If you need anything call me." My decision made I threw the two bags that weren't mine at Chase and walked out.

I heard a scuffle as he dropped the bags and ran after me. I hid in a small janitors closet. Chase thinking I had run down the stairs went into the lift. When the doors started closing I walked out and headed for the fire escape stairs. Chase saw but the doors were already closing. By the time he got out I was outside in the air, flying away. To make sure he couldn't follow I poured on my super speed. I blocked all of my emotions. As much as I loved my brother and his girlfriend, I missed my flock. I bottled up my emotions because I was saving them for the family reunion I was anticipating. If everything went okay when we got to Orlando I would see them all just that much quicker.

We just had to find someone that had caught the Arena's eye. And I was more than certain he would help us take them out. Because he was such a badass. He was more deadly than me, and that's saying something. He had survived this long, and like many people I had thought dead, he was alive.

I wonder just how many people were alive.

**Max, I disapprove with what you're doing. **

_Well there's a shock. The almighty Voice disapproves with what I'm doing, it's not like you've been telling me that for the past three months. Oh, wait! It is!_

**There are other ways to save the world. The Arena is too strong for you.**

Now the Voice whoever they were was ticking me off.

_Here's some info genius. I'm not meant to be alive, I never was. So they are going to try their absolute best to kill me and everyone around me just for the hell of it. They are not going to get away with what they've done. Ever heard the saying of laying your demons to rest? That's what I'm doing. All my life I was afraid they would show up and take my family from me again. But this time I'm going to fight. Even if it kills me._

Well was that a speech, or was that a speech? I am fantastic with words. Plus the Voice didn't seem to have a come back for that.

I looked ahead and saw the sea coming closer, I slowed to a steady pace because I had a long flight ahead of me.

_It's not like you've tried to protect someone you love with everything you have. How can you possibly understand why I'm doing this?_

Shockingly the Voice answered.

**I do understand Maximum. I have done that and I still am. I also know what it's like to fail as well. Trust me I can see where you're coming form. But what if it's you I'm trying to protect?**

_Who are you?!_ I demanded in my head. (Does that sound weird to anyone else?)

And the good old Voice left me wondering because it wouldn't answer.

Oh well onwards and upwards. Florida here I come. And I am going to turn someone's life upside down. I'm sure he'll thank me.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N Congrats to ToxicRain42 who figured out who Max is now going to annoy. Winnie the Pooh and Snoopy admire you and want to know if you'll take over once they get rid of me.**

**Me: Hey you two are gonna kill me off?**

**Snoopy: Definitely.**

**Winnie: She's obviously got more brains than you.**

Chapter 28

Chase's POV

As I sat down next to Cat in the overstuffed plane seat I fumed and mumbled for the millionth time. My sister is such a stubborn, air headed, impulsive, random, mutant birdkid. Plus she left out some information. Like, where we're meeting, who we're going to annoy, oh yeah and why the hell she split up from me?! I have gone through years of looking for her and Sky, Sky's gone but Max isn't.

I anger and frustration I slam my head back into the headrest. "Stubborn, arrogant, pigheaded Maximum Ride." I mutter.

Cat reaches out and takes my hand smiling. I cant help but smile back, I love Cat. Funny how we met, she jumped on me and tried to claw my eyes out, I tried to shove her nose into her brain. We went from a murderous bloody relationship to a loving one. And I still don't know how that happened. I just know I'm lucky.

On the other hand. Max doesn't need a boyfriend, that Fang, all men are pigs, apart from the ones I say aren't. But she's been quiet since we left her flock, more subdued. And dare I say it? She's become more deadly. An ice cold killer, she endured more in the Arena than I did, and I wonder if it changed permanently. She still edits and skates over details when she tells me what happened. And I am so worried I'm going to lose her.

I sigh and bring Cat's hand to my lips.

"Worried about Max?" Cat asks as leans on my shoulder.

I chuckle. "Is it that obvious?"

"Don't worry. I called her before we got on the flight. She's meeting us at the airport in 18 hours. She plans on flying non stop, without even a break. From what she said she's roughly halfway across the Indian Ocean by now. She's hardly slept in the past two days, it might be those nightmares she keeps having, but you need to talk to her, otherwise she's going to run herself into the ground."

I closed my eyes and settled down for the flight.

"Like I said stubborn, brick-headed, teenage, mutant birdkid."

"You changed a few words.""I'm allowed. I'm her brother."

Cat laughed and snuggled into me. I looked out at the rain pelted window and hoped Max was out of it. But knowing her she was pushing herself. I just hoped she wouldn't push herself so far she would break.

Three hours later in a military airspace research centre in Madagascar. 

One of the military men walked in with a cup of coffee. He had to check all radar systems for anything coming at them. Nothing ever did. He sat down and flicked through the numerous air con and radar screens. There was nothing, till he got to thermal imagery radar. A tiny red speck was making its way across the Indian Ocean at an incredible rate.

He called in his higher officer and ran a schedule check. It wasn't stealth and they couldn't connect radio contact. More people came in making phone calls across the world trying to find out who was moving across the ocean. Someone made a phone call to the S.T.A.R.S. they were based in Wales and they got through straight away to the head of the operation. Cara. She confirmed she knew the unidentified flying object and was tracking it.

When questions were asked she pulled rank and no one dared to ask again. Cara the head of the S.T.A.R.S. was deadly and not someone you asked about inner operations. If she said to pay no attention you forgot about it.

Apart from one intern who sent a coded message to his boss in Arena HQ, Maximum Ride had gotten stronger. And the Arena were dying to have her back.

16 hours later in Orlando at Lake Wales Municipal Airport

I had arrived an hour late. Because the simple fact was after all the flying I'd done, I needed to stop for a while to refuel, relax and catch my breath. And don't you dare call me a whimp, you try fying for 18 hours straight at over 300mph all the way there and occasionally going faster cause you're in a hurry.

I walked into the airport and the first thing I did was grab a meal. There was a fast-food court and I got a large everything. Burger, fries, coke, ice-cream. I ignored the looks some people gave me and sat on a bench in front of a terminal gate. I sat there for around forty minutes till I heard someone shout my name.

I got up and slung my heavy backpack over my shoulder. It was extra heavy because I had most of the weapons. For obvious reasons Chase and Cat couldn't take a bag full of weapons on a plane. We were trying to avoid jail like the good mutants we were.

Before Chase could make a scene which he obviously was going to do the minute he passed through the metal detectors I walked outside and went behind a house across the street. Knowing he would follow.

I was right in a few minutes strong arm pulled me into a bear hug.

"Next you go off like that, I'm going to attach a ball and chain to your leg."

I smiled at Chase and pecked him on the cheek. "Now has flying in a tin can made you lazy, or can you manage a couple miles."

Cat sighed and allowed Chase to pick her up. We shot into the air and I lead the way. I had memorized the coordinates and studied the map. The house we were looking for was a small cabin on its own by some overgrown greenery. Too small to be called woods.

After fifteen minutes of flying, and ten of them of Cat complaining and warning Chase not to drop her, I spotted the house.

We landed at the back in the greenery and I sat down catching my breath. I was getting tired. But I needed to make a few introductions first.

I quickly walked out of the greenery and up to the back porch. As I got close the back door opened and a man came out pointing a gun at me.

Chase and Cat behind me ran out and Chase patted his pockets for something.

"Where's my…..? Max you've still got my weapons."

I knew I had them, I wasn't planning on giving them to him in the first place because he'd shoot and ask questions later. On the other hand the one now holding a gun at me was smarter. And obviously had a good memory. Because he lowered the gun and looked at me, his eyes wide in amazement.

"Maximum Ride?" He asked.

"The one an only. How've you been Anthony?"

Chase came up to me and his jaw was hanging open as he pointed a finger at Anthony. "You're meant to be dead." He stated.

"And so are you. Now shut your mouth and get in. if you break anything your paying for it."

Anthony turned around and walked back in the house. He hadn't changed much, his attitude was still the same and he had a little more lines on his face and scars.

It was like meeting a long lost relative, and he was so going to help us win this war against the Arena. Chase pulled Cat into the house and quickly explained who Anthony was seeing as she came from a different background to us. Still Anthony was on the Arena's hit list. So we couldn't stay long and relax. Because you know, I'm Maximum Ride and this is my weird life story.

Nudge's POV

We were currently in a private jet. Abbey, Cara, Asidill and some of their friends were with us. We had told Dr. Martinez that Max had left, she was upset like the rest of us. But right now we were following her. She had flown across the South Atlantic Ocean and we had to fly down in from the North Atlantic Ocean. Cara tolld us that Max had actually flown, using her own wings all the way from Australia. She must be in really good shape to go that far so fast. It was late and almost everyone was asleep. Fang was just quiet, more than usual, if that was even possible.

I was about to ask him why he was awake when Cara's laptop beeped and the screen flashed.

Cara instantly typed something and I had to ask.

"Why did it flash? Is it going to blow up? I wonder if Gazzy or Iggy could make it blow up, they probably did something. Or is it your screensaver. Oooh, now everyone's awake. Abbey you need to brush your hair, its sticking up like bedhead. Can I style it for you, I saw this really pretty style in New York once with like tiny plaits and glitter in it. But we haven't got any glitter, we could use something else and I could do my hair really big and poofy because its always impossible to smooth out and when you-"

I was stopped by Gazzy's hand and what I was about to say was mumbled. They always did this to me and I don't know why, I talk normal just like everyone else. Especially Fang.

"It's Max. She's settled in an area. A house I think in Floritan. It'll get more specific the closer we get. But I don't think she's going anywhere for a while, not after the distance she just covered. She must be resting or something." Cara was clicking onto something and I saw Fang look at it transfixed.

Curious to see what had got his attention I peeked at the screen. I saw a image of Max flying really fast above some clouds, Chase was with her carrying Cat. Aww cute. Then they landed in a bunch of trees and bushes. Max walked up to a house and someone came out holding a gun. I'm guessing afew words were said because the stranger put the gun down and the all walked into the house.

The image was blurry because it was taken from so far away. But it was the first glimpse of our fearless leader in over three months. And pretty soon in a couple of hours we would be barging through that house and seeing her in person again. I wonder if she's changed, or is she the same as I remember her the day she left after saving me? Like she has done for us so many times. Nah. Max would always be Max, no matter what life threw at her. That's why she was our leader. That's why she was Maximum Ride.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N kay just to let you know updates are going to take a while as the charger for my laptop is broke and its going to take a while to sort it out. So in advance sorry, and any complaints you may have please send them to Snoopy and Winnie the Pooh, they are good for something. For now enjoy ;) **

Chapter 29

I walked into Anthony's home and I think my jaw hit the floor. I was not only surprised he was alive but also the fact that he had gotten enough money for this place. He had a very modern kitchen, a simple living room with a plasma tv and kitted out with sofas and chairs, and the next room he took us to was a library. It had ceiling to floor bookcases, and an old looking desk and top quality computer on it. A fire place in the corner, surrounded by chairs and a sofa, and everything looked brand new, as though he'd just got it out of a catalouge.

We sat down by the fire, Anthony took the rocking chair (can we say old guy much?), Cat and Chase curled up on the couch and I slumped into a very comfy recliner. I was pretty exhausted, I had hardly slept in weeks. My dreams were becoming more vivid………….and more real. I'd sometimes wake up with cuts and bruises and open bullet wounds, all in the exact same place as I got them in my dreams. I haven't told Chase yet because I honestly think I'm going mad. It's not even logical. I haven't used my mental abilities for years. Not since I lost Sky and my world crumbled and faded. I'm not even sure if I have my abilities any more.

"Well, as glad as I am to see you alive and kicking. What the hell are you doing here?" Anthony had a huge smirk on his face, so I knew he was more than happy to see us.

His black shaggy hair was longer than I remembered, wavy to the nape of his neck. His old green eyes kept smiling at us.

"Well, I don't really know Ant. Max dragged us out here without any info. This is Cat, my gal by the way."

Anthony nodded at Cat and exchanged a few brief words then his eyes focused on me. He wanted an explanation. And I wanted one from him as well.

"Care to tell me why you took out three labs in a hundred mile radius last month, Anthony?" Even Chase looked at Anthony for an answer, Cat just looked befuddled.

"How did you know? And-"

"Because the Arena have had enough of you and tried to hire me to take you out. And just thought I'd pop in to tell you someone already knows where you live. And they might be coming to get you."

Anthony looked at me his eyes furrowed. "Are you an assassin?"

We all burst out laughing at his expression. And ignoring my aching muscles, I got up and hugged Anthony.

"Don't worry. It's only a cover we made to get on the inside. And those pigheaded scientists fell for it. So why did you take out the labs and how did you get the money for this place?"

"Easy I had a debt to settle with those labs so I took them out. And as for the money I got a few odd jobs, and a white coat is going to be missing his pension."

We all laughed at his last comment. And I'll put it straight for you. We killed. After you lived the way we had, you learn to take out your enemies as quick as you could. Fact was we killed and we were classed in your society as cold hearted murderers. Got a problem with that? Deal with it!

I sat back down in the recliner and after a couple of minutes of easy conversationa and Anthony and Cat playing the get to know you game, I fell asleep. Feeling the radiating heat flash across my face. My last thought was of my flock, I hoped they were safe back in Wales because things were going to hell fast around me.

Chase POV

Max fell asleep curled up. Her fists clenched and she appeared to flinch in her sleep. Her face looked worn out, and only when she entirely relaxed like this could you see she wasn't well. She had muscle and little else. She was running on mostly anger and determination.

"Why is sparky here acting like she's on the brink of death?"

Athony always seemed to have a soft spot for Max, he treated me and Sky like his brother and sister. He treated Max like his own daughter. Me and Sky had always felt we were a very weird family, but a family in a world of blood and death none the less.

I explained to Chase how I found Max and Jethro, the attacks after the hospital, Max's flock, her parents and half sister, what she told us she'd been up to, what happened to Sky, how she left her flock, my worries and concerns, and long story short everything else inbetween Wales and now.

"I'm sorry Sky's dead. I know you hoped for her to be alive." Anthony still looked at Max and sadness crossed his face. God Max looked so much like Sky.

I shrugged like losing my sister wasn't like losing a part of me. "At least I got Max back."

Cat was silent by my side and I could see she was trying to let us work things out. Like I said she had come from a different background. She was always beautiful and a whitecoat had taken her out of the labs so he could, ahem, use her. When she first told me when I was falling in love with her, my heart ceased and I felt rage like I hadn't felt since I was trying to protect my sisters.

Anthony's expression turned calculating. "You said she found her parents. Are they yours and Sky's parents as well?"  
I was surprised Anthony was the only one who's assked. Everyone else had avoided the issue entirely.

"We share the same bird DNA and father. Me and Sky had the same mother but Max's was different. In all honesty I couldn't give a damn, family bonds don't need blood to be made."

If anyone said we were half-siblings I'd kick their ass, just because we didn't share all the same DNA meant we were any less brother or sister. We were family, brother and sister, half came nowhere into the equation.

"If what Max said is true. The Arena will be coming for you, I know what she wants. She thought we were all dead and she'd have to walk through life alone, no matter how close she was to the flock, she was always partially on her own. Your part of our family, no blood needed. We're going to nail the Arena into the ground. We've gathered information and we think we know where the mainframe is. We hit that the rest is going to go up in smoke."

I looked into Anthony's eyes and knew he would help us. He wanted the Arena gone just as much as we did. And for those of you thinking, _so all they have to do is take out the mainframe, that's so easy and convineant. _I suggest you shut up before I punch you in the gob. It was not easy, from what we gathered it was a huge ten storey building, located near a harbour, with networks running underground and out to sea. If we didn't hit hard and fast and take out the main computers that linked all the branches it wouldn't wok. And the hard part was going to be getting in and getting out. They were going to be both as impossible as eachother.

We sat there talking and me and Cat dozed off while Anthony started to read a book rocking back and forth in the rocking chair. Like the old man he is surely becoming.

Fang POV  
Finally only a couple of feet separate me from Max, and that's not including the van door or house. She was in there somewhere. Cara said her ositiona had been stationary for a while now. Nearly an entire day. I couldn't help but think of what held her in one spot for so long.

"The owner of the house is a guy in his late thirties called Anthony Davince. He showed up around ten years ago and his records are bit scant in places, he might be a threat. So we'll go in prepared."  
I barely registered what Cara was saying, even the flock seemed as distracted as me. We just stared out the windows looking at the house were Max was, even Iggy who couldn't see the place, looked at it with hope and longing. We would be together again. And I would nail it into Max's head that she could never leave again.

"Angel can you hear her?" I asked interupting whatever Cara was saying.  
"No, well yes, sort of. It's all fuzzy, I think she's sleeping or something. I can hear Chase and Cat, they're talking to someone. He knows them and they're all happy." Angel smiled and listened more intently, to what I have no clue.

Before Cara could pick up her speech, I jumped out of the van and my featherly family followed me. Cara was rushing to get 'her people' into position and was swearing at our rather original approach. We walked up a wooden porch and Nudge rang the doorbell repeatedly.

Cara and her friedns were covering us and hiding, even I had trouble spotting them in their hiding places, and I have birdkid vision people.

The door opened and Nudge quit ringing the doorbell.

A tall man with scars crossing his skin, black hair down his neck, and piercing green eyes. I frowned at us. "Yes?"

"Where's Max?" Angel asked.

The guy who I'm guessing is Anthony reached for something just as a door behind him opened and Chase walked out. He saw us in the doorway and frowned. "Fang? Guys? What are you doing here?"

"Where's Max?!" Gazzy yelled. He had been missing Max a lot. And if I find out that this whole leaving the flock was Chase's idea I was going to kick his teeth in.

"Ah. I guess this means I don't get to use my gun." Anthony said and calmly revealed a gun dangling loosley inhis hand that had been behind the door. Which was not a good idea because that then caused Cara and the others to come out of hiding holding their guns up acting like we were in a Vin Diesel movie.

"Drop your gun and put you hands in the air!" Cara shouted targeting Anthony. Who just glared and kept his gun in his hand.

**A/N woop woop I finished hope you enjoyed, I'm trying to get this to where I want it quick and we are one more chapter away till my master plan comes to fruition. Can anyone guess whats goin to happen? ;) Hehe is Anthony and Chase gonna get arrested O.o I dunno maybe ……. And max's dreams are weird. So R&R people and thanx so far for the great reviews, you made my day.**

***Cry and sobs into a used kleenex. Then finds a gold coin* "ooh I didn't know I could do that!" *starts blowing nose hysterically till I pass out. "Uhhh……"**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N Kay here's the update you've all been waitin for, and yes updatess are still goin to be slow as my laptop is still not fixed so I will update whenever I can. Also in answer to those who keep asking me questions, all will be revealed in due time. And this chapter is where the action and my plot start to kick in. the long wait is over, this is the beginning of the end people.**

**Me: "Are you ready?"**

**Max: "Do I have a choice?"  
Me: "Nope, now mush!"**

**Max: "I'm not a husky! You're meant to say that to Akila."**

**Total: "Don't talk about my fiance like that, she's much better than a sledge dog, she's perfect, magnificent…"**

**Max: "And yet she's still a husky." *Total growls and starts snapping at her ankles***

**Me: "Where have you been in the story anyway Total?"  
Total: "Ummm..*blushes* well I ……"**

**Lets find out. ;p**

Chapter 30

Max POV

I woke up gasping for air. It was another one of those dreams. I glanced down at my arms and black and blue bruises patterned my arms. My throat was sore and when I looked in the mirror above the fireplace I had red smudges in the shape of hands. At least this time I wasn't shot or anything. It was just a beating.

I looked around. I was still in the study, only I was alone. Before my mind could run into overdrive working out possible scenarios, I inhaled through my nose. And smelled food. They were cooking, I hoped Chase was watching and not helping. That would be a crummy way to go, I could see my headstone now._Here lies Maximum Ride death not by enemy, but by brothers cooking. May there be better food in Heaven._

I grabbed my pack that was by the chair I had fallen asleep on. I pulled out some clean clothes and got changed. Dark blue skinny jeans, a black t-shirt, my knee high boots with their steel block heels (all the better to kick you with my dear) and my favourite leather cop top jacket. My old clothes were a wreck, so I threw them onto the fire and promised myself I'd buy another cheap outfit soon.

I then pulled out my weapons and cleaned my knives. My boots were also good for hiding my knives. Then I set up some magazine rounds for my guns and put them in my boots and jacket. I then pulled out my favourite weapon and cleaned it with an old rag. I had knicked it out of Mr. Chu's office when we broke in two months ago to get some information. He had a display of chinnese weapons decorating his office. So I 'borrowed' one. I had a pair of Sais. And for those of you who don't know what they are it's a three pronged knife, the ones the fictional character Elektra has and if you still don't know what I'm on about go and Google it.

When I was certain they were in perfect condition I slid them into the loops on each side of my belt.

I opened the door and was about to go look for the kitchen when I heard a comation out the front. It sounded like we were in trouble, and we were out numbered. I could see near the end of the hall that Chase was standing by Anthony who had a gun in his hand.

I made a snap decision, if the Arena had found us we needed to surprise them.

I moved so no one could see me outside the door and ran up the stairs. I looked around till I found a balcony that opened out to the front of the house. The porch roof was below it and it seemed the person yelling to put the gun down was in charge. Whoever they were was wearing military clothing and had a black cap on their head. I couldn't see their face but they were my target. I decided to call her LM (Loud Mouth). LM was a couple feet away from the house, but if I ran fast enough I would reach her with no problem. I wasn't going to use my wings because they had guns and they would more than likely shoot them.

My mind working like it normally would when I go on a mission I ran full speed out onto the balcony. As I put my foot on the ledge and pushed off I grabbed one of my Sais.

I heard someone swear and I landed beside LM. Moving quickly incase she was an experiment with speed I spun around whacking my leg into her spine so she fell to her knees. I heard a lot of comotion of people moving towards us and guns cocking into position, so as she caught herself as she fell I put the point of the Sais to her throat. The people moving towards us froze and I could hear the sound of guns being loaded stopping.

"Move and you die." I whispered to LM. She seemed pretty shocked and I glanced up to check on Anthony and Chase. They stood in front of me and Cat was slightly behind them.

"Jesus Max, calm down its…" Before Chase could finish I saw something behind him that made my killer mind pause. Of all the situations I'd imagined seeing them in again, this wasn't even one of them. I turned away from my flock to look at LM. Her head was at an angle and the tip of her hat hid her face. I pulled the cap off and brown hair spilled out. I gasped and drew my Sais away from her throat. "Cara?"

I stood up straight and took a step back, horrified at what I'd done. Cara pulled herself to her feet and signalled for her friends to put away their guns. "Well I wasn't expecting that." She said with a grin.

She was grinning, I had nearly slit her throat and she was GRINNING!

I turned around to ask someone what the fuck was going on, when I was tackled by a blonde angel. My angel.

"Max! We missed you, please don't leave again." Angel was nearly in tears as she hugged my waist. I patted her fluffy hair and looked up from her head to see the rest of my flock. Gazzy and Nudge ran to me and hugged me with tears in their eyes. Iggy hesitantly walked over and gave me a one armed hug. Once I had my hug fest with some of my flock I looked back at Fang.

Did he hate me for what I did? "Fang I…."

He cut me off as he grabbed me in a hug and kissed me quickly on the lips. He pulled back and whispered in my ear. "Don't you ever leave again. You should know by now you can never get rid of us at all." I looked into his dark eyes that I loved so much and pulled out of our embrace, but he wouldn't let go of my right hand. Good thing my Sais was in my left.

I turned to Cara. "I'm sorry I attacked you, I thought you were someone else." I spun the Sais in my hand so I could slot it in the loop point down.

"No worries. I'll need to talk to you but for now I think I'll let you all catch up. Later." She turned around and walked off waving her hand at us. Abbey and Asidill were with her and waved at us, Abbey was yelling at me and I was slightly confused till I made out her words.  
"You look fucking excellent, love the outfit and weapons, talk to you later and I think that-" She was cut off by the van door closing as everyone got in and drove off.

Except for my flock that is. As I looked at the faces that I'd missed so much their mouths seemed to open at the same time.

"Lets go in first." I said and walked to the front door. As I passed Gazzy I heard him describing everything to Iggy in vivid detail. No wonder he was grinning like an idiot.

We walked in the house and Anthony said he was going to bring the food in. As we walked into the study and everyone sat down on an available seat Fang paused by Chase I frowned at him confused.

"What?" Chase asked.

So fast that I couldn't stop him, Fang punched Chase in the side of the head. That casued Chase to swear and stumble and Cat to snarl and grab him. I pulled Fang to a chair before he could hit anyone else.

"What the fuck was that for?!" Chase yelled.

I went to sit in the chair on the other side of the room, but Fang pulled me down so I was sitting on his lap. When had he gotten so clingy?

"Don't you ever take Max away from me again." Fang said all serious.

Before anyone could start yelling at anyone Anthony came in carrying two trays full of mini pizzas. Yay food!

"Okay hush up and eat some chow if you're hungry."

Everyone grabbed a pizza and when Anthony gave me a plate I tried to refuse.

"Shut up and eat sparky. After all that flying and fighting you've got to be exhausted." And he was right even after my food at the airport my stomach still felt hollow.

I slid off Fangs lap so I could sit on the floor at his feet and eat. Anthony sat in his rocking chair and stared at me.

I glared at him. "Don't call me sparky. And what're you staring at old man?"

"I aint that old when did you get so advanced in weapons?"  
I looked down at my hands. "I don't know I just leanred, I think I had a gun in my hand and I could just diassemble and reassemble it and all sorts. Why?"

"Later. Why don't you talk with your flock and catch up."

And so we did. I learned that they had stayed with Cara for a bit, but ever since I left they had been looking for me. I told about what I'd been up to and their jaws literally dropped.

I was too ashamed to look at their faces again. I picked at the crust of my pizza that I had hardly touched, my appetite had suddenly left me. What I had to say now I knew they wouldn't like.

"You cant stay with me guys. The Arena are still out there, and I don't want you to get hurt, but if you stay with me you might just get killed."

My head bent so I couldn't see the look of hurt on their faces.

Fang's hand on my shoulder tightened. "Max.." he seemed to gowl.

"And don't say I'm wrong. I lost someone because of the Arena before, if I lost any of you the way I lost Sky, I don't think I could fight any more let alone live with myself." My eyes got watery and I quickly blinked the tears away before they could fall.

Everyone was silent untill we heard a muffled shout. I looked up at Angel who had started to pull open the zipper of Nudge's back pack. When she managed to get a small gap a furry black head popped out. "Air!" Total yelled whilst panting.

"He's been a little upset since we left Akila in Wales and we put him in the pack 'cause he kept moaning. Sorry Total I guess we forgot we stuffed you in there." Angel explained to me as she scratched behind Total's ears.

"Hmmph, I guess I'll forgive seeing as you brought me pizza. Yum." He very delicately hopped out of the bag and picked up Iggy's pizza.

"Hey no fair, stealing from the blind kid should be illegal or something."  
I joined in the laughter till I saw Anthonys befuddled expression.

"Old man you okay? You're not having a heart attack right?"  
He looked at me and his expression cleared a bit. "That dog talked."

"That dog has name and it's Total if you don't mind." Total snapped.

I looked at Anthony again. "You can't really be surprised after all we saw at the Arena. Are you?"

He smiled at me. "In truth I guess I have seen wierder."

We ate in silence and then Fang had to ruin the happy calm atmosphere.

"You're not leaving. I won't let you."

I heaved a sigh. But Anthony beat me to it.

"Max, perhaps he's right. Chase says ever since you left them you've been cut off from the world. And I must say you were in better spirits when we pulled you out of the Arena half dead. Now, though, you just seem hollow, you've smiled genuinley for the first time since they came in. And if you're so worried about the Arena, it doesn't matter. Everyone is worried about something in this world. It's their choice, just like it was Sky's choice to come after you."  
Furious I jumped to my feet and stomped over to him. "Doesn't matter old man? It mattered to me when they ripped Sky apart. It mattered to me when Angel was kidnapped. It matters to me if my family is safe or not. It matters to me if they live." My voice had started out yelling and had finished nearly whispering.

I turned away from him to look out the sliding glass door. I hugged my chest because it hurt so much.

It was quiet again and I felt as though I was breaking my family apart by pushing them away. Whatever, if it would protect them, keep them safe I would destroy my heart.

The doorbell rang and I heard someone get up.

"I'll get it. It must be Cara." Nudge said and I heard her open the door and walk in to the hall.

I sighed and leaned my head against the glass.

**Max, you have to get out of there now. Get everyone out they've come. They've found you.**

My eyes snapped open and I spun around and ran after Nudge. She was about to reach the door handle. I grabbed her and wrappeed a hand around her mouth. I bent so I could whisper in her ear. "Shhh, be quiet say nothing."

My heart was pounding as much as the knock on the door. I silently pulled Nudge back into the study.

I let go of her and got everyones packs. I wasn't going to take mine, I needed to be able to move and fight. Besides I had my weapons that was enough.

Fang POV

I don't know what happened, Max ran after Nudge and came back with her hand over her mouth. I looked into her eyes and I saw pure terror. And anger. She gave Cat, Nudge, Chase and I a backpack. It was packed with basics.

"What's going on?" I asked quietly. I knew something was wrong I had never seen Max act like this.

"They're here. The Arena."  
Thos wrods caused us to all freeze. Me and the flock because we weren't sure on what to do. Anthony and Chase started locking the door and barricading it. Cat seemed frozen in shock.

"What's the plan?" Chase asked Max as she drew a gun and checked the chamber for a round.

"The minute I shoot the window you all jump through and get into the air as quick as possible. I'll cover your back and then we have to high tail it out of here."

We all nodded. Max was the leader and she always called the shots. The banging on the front door stopped and we heard a gunshot then the front door banged open. In the same second Max shot the window so it shattered into a million pieces. We jumped through and into the air. Iggy grabbed Total and Chase grabbed Cat. I was last and made sure Max was right behind me, she seemed to be shooting at figures in the woods we couldn't see. Then she unfurled her wings and started to fly after us. I was a hundred feet above her with the others, we were waiting for her to catch up.

Then it happened, she was nearly with us and she looked in pain. I looked down and I could see small figures emerge from the tree line. They pointed at the Sky and I could hear gunshots. Max swerved and we had to start performing evasive manouvers. Max was with us now and she opened her mouth to yell something then she froze. Her wings folded in and she dropped. They shot her wing. One of her wings was flailing uselessly causing her to spin in mid air. I dove after her and the others were right behind me. I was so close, but the groud was closer.

Max curled slightly in on herself before she hit the ground then she laid there, trying to push herself up and not succeeding.

The figures from the treeline were a mixture of experiments. I'm guessing they were the Wing Beaters Max had told us about. Anthony angled his wings so he literally dove into a Wing Beater that was too close to Max. the rest of us landed in a circle around her, trying to protect her. Chase knelt down and gently rolled her nto her side, blood was seeping on the side of her jacket and her mouth looked bloodied. She opened her eyes and looked at me.

"You have get out of here, there's too many to fight. Run." Heer eyes fluttered closed. And Chase tried to pick her up. Only everything went to hell fast.

Max had been right there were too many. We tried to fight, to get into the air and fly away. They beat us. We ended up beaten tied up and tossed into a metal van. And the entire time Max was unconcious I worried about her. Iggy and Gazzy sat by Anthony in the van glaring at the experiment gaurding the van doors. Nudge and Angel sat close to Max whispering to eachother and smoothing Total. Cat seemed to go into shock and Chase was trying to comfort her whilst throwing worried glances at Max.

I sat with Max in my lap stroking her hair slightly and trying to stop the bleedin in her side from a broken rib.

And I must admit I was scared of the unknown. Max had been petrified of this Arena, and I had a sinking feeling we were about to find out why.

**A/N Waaaaah! I missed the Anti-Hardwicke day. Anyway to those who did participate wait a go! And what do you think of this chapter. A little lame ending I know but I promise the next chapter will be much better. Aaah! They're going to the Arena! AAAHHHH!**

**So tell me what you think and review ;{] **


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N OMG! I just checked my email and someone nominated my story for a Max award on the MR awards, who ever that was thnx, and my loyal readers if you think this story deserves a chance at winning, then nominate it, I think address is ****.**** if its wrong then I;m sorry and I'll try to find the right adress soon. But heres a chapter for you lot, and I apologise for the wait but apparently because we've lost the resiept its gona take longer to fix my laptop.**

Chapter 31

I knew where I was. After the years of freedom I had come back, home. This home of mine was also my hell. My face was pressed into a cold, hard concrete floor. The dank smelling atmosphere surounded me, it smelt of something I was too familiar with that haunted me since my youngest memories. Death.

I had tried to get everyone away from here, to get them safe, but I had most certainly failed. I didn't need to open my eyes to see I wasn't alone in this cold, depressive place. I could hear the noises of breathing around me and I intellectually knew they were my family, they wouldn't have left me. The fools were just like Sky in their love for me, it would get them killed like it did her.

I had tried to help them get away, but as I was shooting at the slight figures hiding in the trees pressure had built in my mind. Worse, than when Jeb tried to get into my mind. It wasn't as though someone was trying to get into my head but as though someone was already there and was deliberetly causing me pain. It had felt so….so- I'm not sure what to call it accept for personally cruel. Crueler than all of the sadistic experiments I had done to me.

It had caused me to stumble in our escape and something had clipped my wing and the last thing I remember is a solid impact as I hit the ground and failingy tried to get up. Then I heard shouts and then there was nothing. I came through to this and my mind just shattered. All the attempts of freedom and loving moments seemed for nothing now I was back where I started. It's why I never lost hope when the School captured us, because I knew it would never be as bad as this place, and even there I was free from here, I had a chance to escape. Here I wouldn't, couldn't survive much longer. For the simple reason that they never meant for me to survive.

Quiet sobbing brought my attention to the here and now. And the ass-kicking Maximum Ride came back with a vengence inside of me as I realised who was crying. Angel.

My fate was pretty much heading one way, but to hell if I would leave my family here. I would get them out even if it killed me.

I pushed my arms so I could raise myself up. I struggled into a sitting position and my bones craked when I bent my joints. With every move I made I heard the clinking of metal chains and the slight noises around me fell silent.

I pushed my hair out of my eyes and took in the terrible scene before me. I was back all right the three metal mesh walls and one concrete wall with a steel bunker welded to it was a reminder to my introduction of this world.

I was back but this time I wasn't alone. I was chained to the metal walls near the pressure locked door. Cat and Chase where chained side by side in the back right corner. Anthony, Iggy and Fang where chained opposite them on the other side of the bunker. Angel, Nudge and the Gasman where chained to the bunker itself. My family where in this hell hole with me and they all looked, not petrified like I'd expected, but in fact worried about me.

I pushed myself till I was standing and as they started asking me if I was okay in one endless drone I held up a hand to nicely shut them up.

"I tried to warn you guys, but it seems we're in this mess together now." I spoke to my flock, and then I directed my next words to everyone. "I'm fine a little PO'd that I'm back where I started, but we'll get out soon enough."

Anthony and Cat looked doubtful; the flock just looked at me with trust and nodded their heads. Chase grinned at me. "We gona give them hell and go out with a boom huh Max?"

I grinned evilly back at my brother. "They're going out with a boom I can garuntee brother."

My chain was the only one that reached near the door, and if I stretched my chain into the middle I could just about wrap the kids in a one armed hug.

I didn't know what to do so I did what I would normally never even consider. But this was no time to be picky. _Yo, voice got any helpful tips on the Arena's weaknesses that I can use against them?  
_And just like whenever I need the Voice to speak to me it ignores me so I did what I normally do when I don't get my own way. I caused a ruckus.

_Angel, can you tell the others that no matter what, to not intervene or react in any way. And tell them if they do it'll only make thgings worse._I prposely yelled my thoughts at Angel. Her brows furrowed then she locked her eyes with me.

_They say okay, they'll try. But Fang, Chase Anthony and pretty much all of us aren't sure if we can just stand by and watch you get hurt._

I nodded my head in understanding, because I knew if it was the other way around I wouldn't just sit back and watch my family get hurt. But Angel and Nudge could hold back because they had done it in Germany when I had to fight Omega, I just hoped this wouldn't push everyone else over the edge.

I stood up and looked at the small glass dome that held the CCTV camera. I smiled up at it and casually flipped the bird before I started bashing my fist repeatedly into the metal door. It hurt and my knuckles cracked and skin split and bled. But I knew I was pissing the head honchos off so it made it all worthwihile.

After a while I heard clicks and air rush in as the door opened. Everyone behind me became instantly alert but to be honest there's not much to do when you're linked by chains in a metal cage. I took a step back and smirked at the two white coats and three Wing Beaters. One Wing Beater had wings and the other two where like Cat. Only more feral and as less subtle as Cat. Their stripes stood out starkly on orange tanned skin and the faces were practically snouts. They wore leather and Glocks in shoulder a holster, they were all male except for one white coat.

"Now I've got your attention." I stated with my hand on my hip. I was dimly aware that I no longer had my arsenal. The bloody assholes better not mess with my Sais, they are an antique.

The female white coat stepped forward. "If you keep causing trouble you will be detained."

I snorted. "I don't think you could get more detained than this, unless you're hiding a steal cased coffin behind your back."

The Wing Beater with wings stepped pass everyone and got in my face, I reigned in my impulse to break his nose.

"I like them feisty." His smile to me was slimey.

"And I like Wing Beaters dead. You offering?"  
"I think you and me are going to get on just fine."  
"If by fine you mean you dead and me laughing and sipping champagne over your corpse you couldn't be more right. But if that isn't your definition we might have a problem."

As much as I hated this place I hated this guy more. Normally my sassy, quick remarks had people sizzling with anger. This guy just relished it

"You don't remember me do you?" His smile got even bigger and this time it wasn't just slimey, it reminded me of a shark.

"Are you one of the ass kissing parasites that dragged me back here years ago? Cause if you are, then you should know I tend to ignore puppets without a mind of their own."  
This hit a nerve because his smile strained and his brows puckered in the middle.

"You'll remember soon enough. And to jog your memory a little ny name is Lash."  
He turned and left with everyone. The white coats seemed anxious to get out of here quick. What can I say? I have that effect on mad evil scientists.

"What was the point in that sparky?"  
I turned to glare at Anthony. "The point was, old man, to size up the rivallry team, and to prove that even in this place I call the shots. I knocked and they answered, I still have control, they don't control me. Well that's what I'm trying to convince myself, and also I just love antagonising them, it's kind of like the excitement you get from poking a bear."

"You would know." Iggy muttered.

"I would." I mumbled as I recalled being thrown into a cage with a bear experiment and accidentally poking it with my foot as I slipped. It wasn't exciting then, it was actually damned painful and scary. But I would keep hope for my family. They just didn't know how close I was before I just retreated into myself and became numb to the world. My eyes connected with watery blue ones as I glanced around the room. I smiled ecouragingly at Angel. Well, nearly everyone didn't know, just the mind reading seven year old.

----------------------------------------------------------------Woohoo my first sexy line! Everybody party! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm guessing it was a long time after, because I don't have a watch on me, that those ominous metal doors opened and my new buddy Lash walked in flanked by a couple of his cronnies.

I was lying on my back and to be honest my mind had gone numb. It was like I was watching everything from a very long distance away. I didn't care what I did anymore; the only topic on my mind was getting the others out and keeping them safe.

Which was why when the doors opened and everyone jumped to their feet I stayed lying on my back, hands behind my head, looking at the ceiling.

"Get up." As if to make his point Lash nudged me with his boot.

"Hang on; I'm counting cracks in the ceiling. I'm on one thousand two hundred and seventy six. I probably only have a couple more hundred to go."

It turned out Lash had got a temper since the last time I saw him, because he roughly pulled me up quickly unclipped my chains only to link my hands behind my back with another chain. I didn't struggle I had been through this routine before. As Lash led me outside with a restraining hand at the small of my back more Wing Beaters filed in to do the same thing to everyone else.

I heard a scuffle as one of them tried to touch Cat, then she snarled and I heard more scuffles and curses. When she came out eventually chained she had a muzzle on her mouth. I could see blood smeared on the side of her chees. In my head I rejoiced. _Yeah go Cat! She actually bit one of those bastards. _

Outside my head I said in a cool, emotionless voice that made me think I was turning into Fang-chicka. "I hope you get rabies and you arm dropa off. By the way this is all very professional have you done this before?"

One of the striped tiger Wing Beaters holding Iggy glared at me as the others checked the chains were secure. "You're a cheeky bitch aren't you? When the time comes I'm gonna rip your throat out and chew your bones."

I smiled slightly at him. "Your time obviously came and went and you've been tango-ed."  
That actually caused Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy and Angel to laugh. Fang smirked in that secret way that I knew he was in stitched. Cat had a smug look because she was probably the only tiger experiment who didn't look tango-ed. Chase snorted and Anthony rolled his eyes at me shaking his head.

Suddenly, my head was pulled back by a tight fist in my hair. I ended up looking into mad green eyes.

"Remember me yet?" Lash snarld.

"Hang on let me check my diary." I glanced down where my hands would be if they weren't tied behind my back, then glanced painfully back at him. "Well would you look at that, you're my imaginary friend who used to love pink lip gloss and is related to Piglet, you also love to paint your toenails a sparkly red with smiley faces on them. And your real name is Madonna III Fluffy Wings. How are you doing Madonna III Fluffy Wings, I haven't seen you in ages?"

This caused a couple of Wing Beaters to cough and hide behind a flock were openly giggling along with Cat, Chase and Anthony. Even I chuckled which then caused Lash to shove me forward harshly. My skin practically crawled because he was touching my arm.

"You'll remember soon enough." He mumbled.

We walked down halls I recognized by shape but had been painted white and had been added to since the years I'd were more cages with experiments in them, mostly animal than anything. There were a couple of white coats dotted around taking notes or observing. There were Wing Beaters stationed periodically everywhere. We walked by some experiment rooms which were thankfully not being used. Although the dried blood on the steel operating table indicated it had been used not long ago.

We went through more white corridors and coded locked pressure doors. Till we eventually came to a room with a sign that made my spine shiver and my heart to freeze.

The sign read: **Observation/Experiment Room.**

There was only one room that I knew that sported two names. And that wasn't all that was on the door underneath it where two words that rang a bell. And by the looks of Chase, Cat and Anthony, it was the same with them.

**Black Burn HQ**

**A/N There you go people. You got lucky, I've updated twice in the last couple days which is great seeing as my laptops still broke. I also found out that its going to take 20 days till my laptop will be fixed seeing as the equipment we ordered is comming over from America.**

**I may also update more because I have worked the internet on my bros laptop and I keep nicking it from him.**

**Also I love all of your reveiws they are lovely. Keep Reviewing for me and thnx again ;)**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N yipee, omg! I am so chuffed I hhave 200 reviews. Thnk you so much, I'm gob smacked. Here is he next chapter I worked hard on this and it was a struggle but I managed it. Thnx again for the excellent reviews.**

Chapter 32

I noticed with some relief that Total was in a cage in the corner of the room. Angel was visibly straining to reach him. My relief at finding Total lasted maybe a millisecond. Because then I really looked at my surroundings. The room had cages on one side of the wall, advanced computers and other sciency equipment everywhere and a huge window that took up the entire wall. The view was of what would have been a harmless metal walled gym, that is, if there weren't the strung up bodies, experimental equipment I had too much personal experience with and the hordes of memories that rushed forward. My huanted past, it seemed, would always haunt me.

I glared at the group of scientists who walked over to my flock and started marking things on a clipboard. Lash was crushing my back to him with a vice like grip on my neck. Cat looked confused and practically pissed. She was struggling, snarling and trying to headbutt her captor.

"Remember any of this?" Lash hissed and it seemed that the room froze in silence.

The whitecoats looked at me with interest. I licked my dry lips and looked out at the struggling forms outside the window. "I remember."

I remembered all too clearly. This was where they brought me for all of my experiments, Sky had been brought here once, but they kept bringing me back here.

I whitecoat with gray hair walked forward and glanced at his clipboard then back at us, he paused by me, Chase and Anthony.

"The three possibilities are the experiments that go by the name Max, Anthony and Chase. To define who it actually is we'll have to run a blood test."

I younger scientist who was taking notes glanced up at gray head. "But General Harrison, the tiger experiment was part of our facility in the past, isn't it possible she is the experiment we're looking for?"

General Harrison! GENERAL FUCKING HARRISON!! Cara said she had suspicions on this guy. I guess she was right, if only she had nailed this git earlier.

Wait hold up! Blood tests?! They aint sticking a needle in me without getting hurt.

I started struggling, Lash tried crushing my windpipe, but that didn't stop me, he couldn't kill me because apparently I was needed for tests. Anthony and Chase started struggling as blood samples were taken from them, the others were thrown into a cage next to Total and were unchained, in Cats case also unmuzzled. Angel reached out and smoothed Total with a shaking hand.

Lash gripped me tighter and started jerking my head back with handfulls of hair. After ten minutes Chase and Anthony were done and were chained to a wall. I was still struggling with everthing in me as Harrison moved closer with a needle clutched in his hand. Lash had untied my hands so he could stretch an arm out for the needle.

For those of you who hadn't guessed already, I had a huge aversion to needles. Which was why, when Harrison was too close for comfort, I grabbed Lash's arms in desperation and kicked my legs out. I hit Harrison full force in the chest, which was surprisingly muscular for an old man. He went skidding backwards into a desk and I used the distraction to throw my legs backwards and aim for a soft spot between Lash's legs. Because of the struggle my aim ws off and I hit him in the shin and thigh. The Wing Beaters that weren't tying Chase and Anthony to metal links in the wall, came over to help restrain me. I lashed out blindly, I managed to twist my head and sink my teeth into Lash's arm. He let go of me and I darted to my feet. I was about to run over to Chase and start un-chaining him when I heard a solid thunk. I spralled out on the floor and harsh hands grabbed me. I was confused and disoriented; there was a sharp ache in the side of my head. My gaze focused as my leather jacket was ripped off me.

I was crushed against Lash; he had his arms wrapped around me, whilst a Wing Beater held my other arm as Harrison put the needle in and drew out my blood.

I was still dazed and only flinched when Harrison jerked the needle out of my skin. I was soon being chained up next to Chase and Anthony.

I struggled to find my voice. "I'm going to kick your ass the minute I get out of here." I rasped.

No one was listening to me it seemed. I looked at my arms which seemed to be the object of their scrutiny. The bruises I had aquired from my last dream stood out vividly against my tannish skin. Black and blue, even green and red.

"What are those marks form, Lash? Has she been abused by one of your men? I told you the experimnets need to be in peak condition?"

Lash said that I must've got the marks before I was brought into the Arena, as no one had laid a finger on me, apart from shooting me out of the sky, which the wound had surprisingly healed. I turned my head to look at Chase's confused expression, who knew I had no bruises from my last mission, and I never did tell him about my dreams that became physical. I shook my head in answer to his unspoken question. I would tell him after.

The next twenty or so minutes were hell, as we waited while they put our blood samples in various machines and looked through numerous microscopes.

The feeling of being strung up cattle was an emotion you'd rarely forget. I looked out the window at the bodies of experiments that knew no other life than this. I was more than certain they were all dead out there. That was what the experiment was, after tonnes of torturous tests, they would string you up for three days to see if you would survive. And if you did you got to do the whole process again and they made it harder each time. And the worst part was, this wasn't done to adults or even teenagers, it was done to toddlers and newborns. The youngest died quicker so they always pulled an older experiment from a neighbouring lab to see if age was a problem. The first time they did that to me I had been nearly one, I was lucky to survive. The only reason they put me in there though, was to die. As an experiment I was a failure, something, they said had gone wrong in my desiging, they left me alone with Sky waiting for me to die, only by surviving I'd caught their attention. Then they tried to see how far they could push me, find a reason for me, maybe not all of my programming and designing had gone wrong. And well, then, you know the rest. In the end I ended up at the School. Now though, I'm back.

Lash walked up to me and his nose was bleeding. Hopefully I'd broken it.

"Don't remember me do you?" I stared at him blankly. "No? Well I'll just have to tell you then wont I?" He leaned closer to my ear, as though what he would say was for my ears only, but he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "I was the one one who held you agianst the window all those years ago, I was the one who made you watch Sky die, I was the one who laughed in your ear at her death, because it was all your fault."

My mind went red, thankfully though I had a small piece of logic still working. "You can't be, I shot that Wing Beater, he's dead like the rest of them."  
This caused Lash to smile and he stroked my cheek almost gently. If I could move I would have moved away from him.

"Oh don't worry, you did shoot me Max and I got a nice scar to prove it to."

Lash lifted up his shirt to show a star burst scar on his gut. And I knew without a doubt even if I couldn't remember him, he was telling the truth. Hatred coloured my vision red. I was surprisingly relaxed though, I couldn't react yet, and I'd save my anger for when I could actually move.

"I promise you I won't miss again." I snarled at him. It only caused him to smile and walk over by one of the scientists looking at a blood sample.

It took another twenty minutes till a frizzy haired blonde scientist printed out some results and handed them to Harrison. He flicked through the sheets of paper and a huge smile lit up his face.

"'Kay, I want experiment 2S34XZ86 strapped down, and you can throw the other two in the cage with the others."

Lash took too much pleasure in strapping me down to a metal lab table, it had holes in it that were strategicaly placed above my spine and neck as I was laid down on it.

I couldn't struggle; this time they had six Wing Beaters restrain me as they wrestled me to the metal slab. I knew that once I was on that, nothing good would happen. And I knew this from all of my other past experiences with cold metal tables.

This time where I didn't kick up a fuss my flock did, they kicked at the cage and when Chase and Athony were tossed in they tried to overpower the Wing Beaters holding the door at a tight angle.

It was a wasted effort however. I was held down by four iron restraints placed in sections over my body. One of the scientists placed tiny electrodes on the inside of my arm and on my chest above my tank top. A scientist messed with a monitor of my heart rate, BP, EKG and everything else. There was even one I noticed out of the corner of my eye that said Gamma Rays. From the little science I knew gamma rays were from radioactivity. Oh, great they were going to zap me with radioacticity and try to make me Super Woman or something. I'm guessing here people.

Lash came to my side and stepped on a button embedded in the floor by the table I was on. The table rose and rotated; it stopped when I was vertical, at a slight angle so I could see the floor, as though I was standing without using my legs.

I opened my mouth to start cursing till the sun turned blue but the minute my lips parted Lash tied a gag in my mouth to shut me up. When he did that I saw the scientists go behind me, I could feel them cutting my top away through the holes in the back of the table.

My horrified gaze met my flocks then everything went black. And it wasn't the sanctuary of unconciousness; it was because Lash had placed a black bag over my head so I couldn't see.

I became hyper aware of where the scientists touched my back, tracing the line of my spine with their fingers.

Then my hell began. Again.

Fang POV

How did we end up in this mess? The younger kids were practically crying whilst Cat and Anthony covered their eyes and ears, held them and turned their faces away from the nightmare in front of us. Iggy was stressed out, he could only hear what we saw, the clanking of medical instruments, Max's quick sharp breathing under the hood, the scientists analytical comments and every now and then Max's gasps and rarely she would scream in a pain.

Me and Chase were exhausted, we had bashed the cage with our fists till our knuckles bled, we had yelled till our voices were hoarse. My mind was in terror and confusion, I had never felt so helpless. Max was at the mercy of these sadistic scientists, they were operating on her, and she was wide awake. I couldn't see fully what they were doing, but from what I could see they had cut open her back and were doing something to her spine, they would occasionlly put something to her back, the monitors would go hay wire, Max would jolt and barely restrain a scream. There was blood, and I was thankful and yet not that I couldn't see her face. Thankful because I could only imagine the pain showed in her expression, and not because I wanted to look in her eyes so she'd know I was there for her.

It went on for hours, till eventually they began to sew Max's skin back together. Max hadn't made any noise for a while, I would have been worried she was dead if it weren't for the monitor, every beep counting the beat of her heart. When they were done the scientists walked out peeling off bloodied, surgical gloves. The others raised their heads when the metal instruments were pushed aside with a clang, and the monitors were unplugged, leaving a dull silence as Lash undid the metal clamps. Max fell forward and he caught her up bridal style, if he wasn't grinning from ear to ear I could have said he was almost caring about her.

"Lash be careful with her, she's priceless. Put her in the cage with the others and turn out the lights when you leave." Harrison said as he paused by the door.

Lash walked to our cage with Max dangling limp in his arms. "Any of you try to do something, Maxie here is gonna be as dead as a door knob, got it?"

None of us moved as he opened the cage door and placed Max on the ground. He backed out eyeing us suspiciously, he locked the cage by pressing some buttons on the computer. When he walked out he turned the lights off. From what I had seen there were no windows anywhere in this place, so I was guessing it was night time. The only light we had came from the glow of the computer screens and various other electrical appliances. Only when the door closed did we move towards Max. the back of her shirt had been slashed open, a raw looking line traced her spine and between her wings, all the way to her neck, with hundreds of tiny stitches. I rolled Max onto her side so Iggy's sesitive hands could quickly assess the situation. The kids held Max's hand and I carefully placed Max's head in my lap whilst Chase pulled of the bag covering her face.

I was surprised when I saw that she was wide awake, her eyes were open and the beautiful brown depths I loved were haunted with pain. Chase smoothed her hair back and undid the gag, Max just stared at us saying nothing. None of us knew what to say so we just sat there awaiting Iggy's verdict.

"They've done a good job patching her up, but it's going to hurt to move around. Is she awake?"

I realised Iggy couldn't see that her eyes were open. I turned to tell him she was when her grated, strained voice answered him. "I'm awake, and I'm going to be fine. I'll be even better when we get out of here."  
Against all odds Max pushed herself up and leaned lighty against the wall. She winced every time she leaned too much against the wall the cage was wrapped around.

"Nice to see you Total, how've you been?" Max asked with all the casualness she could muster in a situation like this.

We all curled up by Max and talked quietly, taking advice from Max's actions. She had just been through hell, there was nothing we could do, but we tried to act as normal as possible, to keep hope.

Max was adamant that we were getting out of here, at her comment 'We're going to blow this joint, literally." Anthony smiled wanly at her. "Always the optimist huh sparky?"

Max smiled weakly back and stroked Angel's and Gazzy's hair, they had crurled up resting their heads in her lap. "Always, old man."

I was shocked to understand that this was what Max, Chase, Anthony and Cat had endured, so they knew how to deal with it, but how long can you fight, if you've been fighting your whole life?

Max fell asleep resting her head on my shoulder and curving her back away from the wall. Gazzy and Angel had fallen asleep a while ago when Max had stroked their hair comfortingly, Cat and Chase were curled up on the floor sleeping. Iggy and Nudge were asleep, Iggy still had his right arm and wing around Nudge after she had started crying earlier and he had tried to console her. I looked at Anthony who was wide awake and his eyes kept darting around the room.

"I'll stay awake, you look exhausted, you should catch some Z's with sparky." Anthony's quiet voice whispered through the dark to me. I nodded knowing he had probably done this a million times in this place, he would alert us the minute something was up.

And wondering of what tomorrow would bring and shuddering at the thought, I fell asleep with Max right next to me, and my newly extended family surounding us, and hell three feet from us, in the form of a metal door where the earths worst creatures would come through to see us.

My life would always be a basket full of cherries. Not!

**A/N yay a long chapter just for you. A bit depressing and dull, but action is coming and so is a reunion. Anyone got a clue where this is goin? I bet none of you will guess exactly what will happen, though you may get close.**

**Anyway Max is a tough cookie, but not as edible as the ones her Mom bakes, will this ruin her or not? We're going to find out soon. Review and tell me what you think, reviews make me type faster if you know what I mean ;P**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/NOkay I tried hard to get this chapter up early for you. And also apparently I'm getting a new laptop for xmas so yippee! Thanx again for the reviews they made me laugh XD hope you've all enjoyed ur holiday but now back to school. Yay! Or not.. :( **

Chapter 33

It has been two months and three days. Well according to Lash it has. Two months and three days since I'd last tasted frredom. Two months and three days since I'd been brought home/hell. Two months and three days since that fucking experiment. The only good thing was that apparently the experiment didn't work. They thought it would give them control over me or something by sending electrical signals to my brain neurons. And I was meant to become even stronger with new advanced powers. Instead I got brain shattering headaches, which thanks to past experiences I was dealing with very well, and my body would paralyze at random moments or my vision would just blank out and my hearing would fade. I just love those funky little experiments. I know had a single cell in _that_ room, it was built into the wall and a floor to ceiling window that slid open when the scientists wanted something was my only way of getting in or out. The cage I had originally been put in was now split in three sections and my flock was split into three groups, not including me that is.

I was thankful that my flock was only enduring minor experiments here; they were doing experiments that were the same as the ones at the School, not the ones Cat, Chase, Anthony and I had endured.

I was sitting in my lovely new, bare-walled accommodation when the door to the testing room opened. Lash, Harrison, two Wing Beaters and three more whitecoats walked in. I didn't bother to get up out of my slumped position in the far corner of my confined space. The two scientists who were currently making Nudge run at unhuman speeds on a treadmill while putting obstacles in her way for the past two hours, stopped the machine and Nudge collapsed in complete exhaustion. The two Wing Beaters moved Nudge to one of the sections in the cage. I couldn't hear anything; my coopey hole was soundproofed, so I could only listen to whoever spoke over the intercom in the corner opposite me. Oh, joy!

They started talking and it seemed Lash was having fun in what they were discussing. Harrison was nodding his head and looking in my direction every now and then. Eventually the Wing Beaters hauled Angel out and Gazzy out of their section of the cage they shared with Anthony. When Anthony tried to stop the Wing Beaters they bashed him on the head and deliberatley hit the burns on his arms from his latest test.

Angel and Gazzy were pulled into te centre of the room and a Wing Beater held each with their arms twisted behind their backs.

_Max I'm scared. They're thinking scary things. _

I was already standing by the glass of my cell my limbs were crisscrossed with fine red lines and bruises patterned nearly every inch of me. I was getting ready to do something, but I don't know what. It was like my mind was pulling force in on itself, and I was able to tell where everything was without looking around, like my mind could sense and feel everything around me. I had a sgarp sting in my temples but I shook my head and focused on the scene before me.

_It'll be okay Angel I promise, they wont hurt you any more._

I didn't know if I could keep that promise but I had a strange certainty that something big was going to happen, for better or worse, I just didn't know. But something would happen.

The glass slid open with a hiss, I didn't show any weakness, even though I knew I was too weak to fight. They didn't know that though. Lash walked up to me grinning. "Heya Max, miss me?"  
"Like hell."

"Good I missed you too, sweetness. I'm gonna hurt you." He spoke in such a matter of fact voice that he could've been speakig about the weather, or something equally boring.

"Right back at ya, dumbness." HE growled as he pulled me out of my cozy cell. Let me tell you something, for a geneticlly enhanced birdkid that suffers from terrible claustrophobia, a quint, dainty, soundproofed cell, is a killer on the nerves. I felt like I had been climbing the walls.

I didn't struggle as I was held brutally by Lash, in front of Angel and Gazzy and Harrison.

My back had healed and I now had a nice thick care running the course of my spine. But it was still sore, and I had lost the Voice ever since I was brought in here, I felt like someone was trying to press in on my mind and it must've been what they were trying to do to me. From the numerous documents they left lieing around and on computer screen they had placed tiny microchips along my spine, with micro thin steel wires going through my nerves to link it all up. I was like a school project to them.

We were all helpless here. Not even Angel could help. They Arena has had pschic mutants before and they had learned to keep their minds to themselves by using a serum that sends chemicals to the brain to lower the brain waves that are transmitted. Well something along those lines, I don't pay much attention to their tests and experiments, I just try to survive them.

Harrison walked forward so he was only a couple of steps away from me.

"Why hasn't your programming activated?"  
Even as banged up as I was I was still sarcastic, what can I say? I'm a pretty opptimistic person that way. "I don't know Einstein, let me look into my crystal ball and have a look-sy."  
"You are meant to be one of the strongest and elite of our experiments, you survived though your internal systems were meant to shut down because you were a failure. You survived and we have given you a second chance to show us you are worth _something._ But perhaps you were always a worthless piece of shit. And maybe so are your flock members. These two are rather rebellious and cause quite a bit of annoyance for my scientists. I think I'll start cleaning up with them."

As he gestured to Angel and Gasman I knew what he was going to do. No, he couldn't take anymore of my family. I wouldn't let him. The others tried to struggle in their cages, but they couldn't do anything. If I wasn't so weak I would fight, as it was I tried to struggle but to no effect, Lash just tightened his grip on me. Angel and Gazzy struggled as Harrison ordered the Wing Beaters holding them to drraw their guns and to press the point into their temples and to fire on his order.

I struggled frantically. Trying to do…….. Something. I had to stop them. They couldn't take anything away from me again, I wouldn't stand it, and I would crumble. I, Maximum Ride, would be reduced to nothing.

No! I, Maximum Ride, wouldn't let this happen, all I needed was strength.

I wanted the strength to grab something; I dimly recalled there was a heavy steel operating table behind me to the right. I though t of having enough strength and speed, to rip it up off the floor, and throw it at those two Wing Beaters, with such precise accuracy that it would not even touch Angel or Gazzy.

I could almost see it happening in my mind; almost feel the wieght of the table and the force behind the throw. I could hear some dim rattling lik e chains.

"On my count fire. Three. Two." Harrison began to count off. And Angel and Gazzy looked at me petrified, with tears trickling out of their fearful eyes.

"Don't you dare!" I yelled distracting Harrison. He looked at me with a smirk that was quickly wiped away. I don't know why so don't ask. What I do know was that the rattling got louder, and louder, until it sounded like metal being hit by a car, like metal being pulled.

The sound stopped suddenly and something flashed past me in a blur of silvery gray. Whatever it was took off the Wing Beaters heads and they dropped to the floor as they let go of Angel and Gazzy.

That sharp sting inmy mind increased, and I began to sag in Lash's hold as everyone stared blankly at me. my vision was blurring and I could hear someone, or more than one someone yelling my name.

**Oh, Maximum Ride what have you done?**

_Voice? You're back. Where the hell have you been?_

**I'll explain later. But right now I think you should call me by my name. It may explain a lot for you.**

_I know you?_

**You did once.**

My mind seemed to freeze, in the way that a rabbit freezes when it sees the headlights of a car coming.

_Who are you? _I thought shakily.

**You did that Max, with the table. Telekinesis is one way to describe it, your mind emits gamma rays that enable you to use your mind as a physical touch. You have always been strong, Max. You never did lose your mental abilities. They just got buried deep because you were traumatised. Along with me.**

Typical, the Voice was avoiding answering a simple question. All it had to say was Bob or Jill or something. Even as I thought sarcastic thoughts I had a cold feeling in my stomach.

_Just tell me your name!_

**Very well. My name is Sky.**

My mind refused to think of that, to even try and process what I had heard. Instead I retreated deep into my mind.

**A/N Tada. This is not the reunion I was telling you about. That is still to come. And to those of you who guessed who the voice was, congrats! Cyber cookies for everyone! I also have some more great news, I had my GCSE results. I had B in English Language and Literature and in Textiles and everything else was C's yippee. I'm happy. Maybe if get my english A levels I'll publish one of my stories. But first I need to figure out how to get it published. Anyhoo, what do you think of my chapter. Short I know but I rushed to get this up before school starts for you. R & R my loyal readers.**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N Thnx guys for all of the gr8 support, I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. But I think its time for some explanations hopefully this chapter will explain somethings. Enjoy my Haunted Past readers.**

Chapter 34

I wouldn't open my eyes. I was trying to bury myself in my own mind. The Voice was still talking, softly and persistant. Only unlike all of the other times the Voice spoke, it was femle and very familiar. It was the voice that sang me to sleep as a kid, the voice that told me everything would be all right when nothing ever could, the voice I had heard dying years ago.

How? How could this be possible? Sky was dead! Wasn't she? If she was alive why didn't she ever tell me? That was a stupid question, I already knew the answer. Sky hated me, because of me they killed her and now she hated me for it. But they hadn't killed her. I think. Or maybe not. But either way in death or life my sister now hated me, and I couldn't bring myself to blame her. I had doomed the rest of my family now too, it seemed, they would all die in theis hell hole, just like Sky, because of me.

**Maximum Ride will you listen to me. I don't hate you, I never have and never will. It is the same with the others and you can save them. You have to get off your butt now and kick the Arena between their legs where it hurts.**

Okay, I was having a mental hissy fit, freaking out and having a mental break down, but I couldn't help the little giggle in my mind. I gradually came out of my shell shocked mind to think a coherent thought.

_Are you Sky's ghost?_

**No, far from it. **

_So you're alive._

**If you can call what I'm doing living, yes.**

_I'm going to get you out. I wont leave you again. But I still don't understand how._

It was more of a question than a statement. I was just about struggling to keep an open mind so I could accept anything that was thrown at me.

**It's simple enough, we always had a link. When they killed me, they managed to bring me back. I've been trying to reach you for years. But it seemed since your traumatic childhood you buried everything under a layer of subconcious thoughts. And I didn't want you to find me like this, especially when you were so happy with your new family. So I became the Voice, I spoke to you and helped when I could. And I have never been so proud of you.**

_You're here aren't you? They've kept you in the Arena all these years. I'm going to get you out, I promise._

**No Max, you can't. You'll just have to live a good enough life for the both of us. I have to go, I get weak when I talk to you like this, it's why sometimes you don't hear me for days. But you have to get out of the Arena. I love you Max. Be brave.**

I felt Sky's presence leave my mind and felt strangely alone. And yet, also strangely relieved. In a few short moments I had answered a few of the most vital questions about the voice. I now knew who it was, why it was there, what it wnted and a couple of other things. But the one fact that made my entire inner world shine, the way it had stopped shining the day I withdrew from the world, was that my sister was alive.

I focused outside of myself and realised that I wasn't unconcious. I had just retreated so far into my mind that it was like the real world didn't exist.

I was, for some unkown reason on my stomach. I could feel restraints cutting into my skin and holding me down. I was back on the operating table, my head was turned to the side, so I opened my eyes to a tiny slit. I could see the cage where the flock was kept, and there were a couple of scientists in the room bending over my back. No one else. Perefect.

"Harrison wants us to make an incision here and here. We'll have to see what type of neurological reaction is going on." As the scientist spoke I could feel fingers trailing along my spine from back to neck.

Great, they were going to cut me open again.

I felt very optimistic at the moment, must be something to do with finding out my dead sister wasn't so dead after all. I could feel everythings in the room, surrounnding me. I could faintly recall, as a little kid moving stones around with my mind. Just when I lost Sky I tried to forget everything, the Arena, Sky, Chase and my powers. They were always there, at my powers it seemed had only gotten stronger.

I focused on the monitors to my right that one of the scientists was setting up. I imagined throwing the five monitors at the two scientists head, and surely enough I heard a crash, bang, wollop, and then a two heavy thumps.

"What the fuck was that!?"

I mad the restraints holding me buckle and snap off, so I could sit up on the table and glare at me ever loving brother. "Mind the language Chase, there're kids in hearing range."

They all pretty much stared at me. Then they broke into smiles as I walked over to them after riflig through a scientists coat to find a key card.

"Who's the brightest birdkid in the box, eh?" I asked in a sing song voice dangling the key card in front of my brother's cage.

"Stop fucking around Max and open this damn door. I've spent long enough in here for two lifetimes."

"Whatever bother." I said airily as I swiped the card and the gate lock became unlocked.

The minute the gate was open I was in one huge hug. Chase pulled me into a solo hug with him and so did Anthony. Cat just mouthed the word thank you, she was very pissed off. We weren't free yet, but we were close, and when you hate dthe people who had held you captive for over twenty four hours, your break out was an excuse to break them.

I hugged every one of my flock then, wiping away tears, whispering encouragement and comforting them. When I hugged Fang, he pulled me into a deep kiss that had my brother tamping and tapping his foot in annoyance. I could even hear Gazzy pretending to retch.

After locking the door to our room and setting Nudge up to hackk into the computers in the room for information, I began my explanation.

When they were silent when I finished I told them my new plan.

"I'm going to find Sky, get her out and somewhere along the process shut down the Arena."  
"Sounds like a good enough plan to me. I'm in." Anthony said with and evil glint in his eyes.

Everyone backed me up. Then we were disturbed by Nudge's outburst.

"I'm in. I've got it, I've got everything. Reports and documents on experiments, the facility and partnerships. The whole shebang, and the best part is that every document is signed by Harrison so it's rock hard evidence. Wow, those CSI movies come in handy, I can think of anb entire way now to bring down a drug lord, only its more of a power crazy, mutant experimenter, scientist/army dude lord. You know what I mean?"  
She looked at us as if we knew what she'd just said. So I just nodded dumbly. "Great Nudge, you did fantastic. Now if only I could send this to Cara, she could trace it and bring in the cavalry." I thought aloud.

"I could always copy it all into an e-mail and send it to her." Nudge said simply.

"You've got an e-mail address?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Sure do, Ella helped me set it up. I'm Nudge_Channel_Fashion_.uk . Cool huh?"  
"Absolutley, now send that e-mail to Cara and tell her to bring back up ASAP. On it?"  
"On it." Nudge mumbled as her fingers flew over the key pad.

I must admit, sometime having a kid who can just about hack any computer is a huge bonus.

I had a nose around and found fress clothes for us, so as we changed whil Nudge typed I also happened to find my lovely Sais in a cabinet along with some guns and knives. I passed around the new equipment. I had avery big conviction about my flock having guns and knives, so I made sure they had at least one knife each, for emergencies only.

When I'd told them the rules on using knives I walked up to Fang who was admiring calliber.49.

"Since when do you like guns? You've never used one."  
He glanced up quickly at me and I caught on quick. "When did you usee a gun."

He looked sheepish as he answered. "When you were in Germany, I used one of the Flyboy's guns and it dealt with most of them."

I sighed and rolled my eyes at him. Honestly, if he enjoyed the damn thing so much, he could use it. And in a way I was a hypocrite because sometimes I would use a gun, but that didn't mean I wanted a member of my flock to turn into a cold murderer like me, besides I prefered the more personal approach with a blade or hand to hand.

I looked at a display map on the wall. We were on the second floor. I tried to remember where they had kept high priority experiments when I was a child. My finger trailed over the map and up to a room on the thirteenth floor. There. I was sure I would find Sky there. I could have been wildly gueesing, or it might have been that bond that Sky and I had, but I was positive I would find her there.

"There, I've done it all, and I've disabled all of the security and stuff too." Nudge exclaimed. All of a sudden I heard a muffled sound of thunder, then it felt like the room had been gassed and I couldn't breathe.

"Aww gross. Gazzy!" Nudge and Angel whined while fanning their faces. Anthony looked shocked, Cat looked disgusted. Chase and Iggy were grinning at the Gasman. Fang had a smirk on his face and Total had stuch his head in Angel's jacket. It must be a guy thing.

Holding my hand over my nose I spoke over the complaining. "Okay, people, I do believe that is our que to leave. Be careful and stay in my sight. The first chance you get, get out."

We were giggling as we left the room. But the minute I was in the hallways of the Arena, my mind had gone still abd calculating. I was more than ready for my search, find and destroy mission.

I had one thought in my head, that I hadn't thought since the time I'd rushed into a bloody room to Sky's broken body. _I'm coming Sky._

**A/N yay! Action coming up! Woohoo. What do you think? The flock is on the loose and they are ticked off. Unfortunatley this story will eventually come to an end. But not now or for the next couple of chapters. :D lol review people! Also I apologise to Toxic Rain if my relpy confused you, i think i confused myself oopa! :P**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N woohoo thnx for all of the great reviews and heres that long waited chapter you have been waiting for. Soz for the long wait but I've been busy with school, volunteer work and stuff that I struggled to find time to type this up. So it should be even better for the long wait. CHAPTER TIME!!!**

Chapter 35

Fang POV

It was surprisingly easy to sneak around the Arena. It was like we were in a section where there were no guards, and everyone else was in the closed off rooms.

I got glimpses of other experiments and, to be honest, I was shocked. The experiments were nearly animal like in features and attitude entirely. They were bestial creatures that attacked the bars on their cages and savaged anything that was given to them to see if it was food.

I looked at Max who was in front of me. She must still be in pain, but to think that she grew up like this, and Chase and Cats and Anthony as well. It was a miracle that they were even the slightest bit humane.

But for those guys who are wondering, Max, who had been shortly put through hell, looked kick ass hot in her new gear and with a special pair of blades she was favouring. I mean not every guy gets his fantasy girl who's as beautiful as she is deadly. Anyway just to let you know if you were wondering, and if you weren't, forget what I said.

We turned a corner and Max froze up. She stood there for like five seconds then hurried us into an office room. Well that's what I'm guessing and sort of hoping it was. She closed the door and through a tiny window we could dozens of Wing Beaters heading the direction we came from.

"It's going to be harder to get through the hallways now that they know we're out and about." Anthony said in a grim tone.

We all nodded in silent agreement. We had to get out, but it seemed incredibly impossible.

I looked around and realized that there was a small camera in the corner of the room. Damn, they were watching us.

I stood up on my toes and quickly pulled its wires out of the back. Killing the red blinking light.

"Damn this! I've bet they've been watching us the whole time, they probably set it up to give us false hope. This all some kind of twisted test they're making us go through."

I burst out and I was trying to get Max to look at me but she looked totally unfocused. Maybe the experiment they did to her had messed with her mind. Maybe she only thought she had done the stuff she did so they could make her feel strong so they could break her, again.

"Unfortunately you might be right." Chase said with a dead look in his eye. The kids sat in some chairs set up by this huge state of the ark computer. Iggy was leaning against a wall and listening to us in his silent way.

Max turned and glowered at Chase. "What?! You think this is all some kind of computer simulation?"

"It could be, isn't it a coincidence that the Voice just so happens to be Sky all of a sudden. That you manage to bust us out, with this super cool new gift that can bend the earth if you desire. It seems too fake, plus it makes no sense to me."

We all stayed quiet knowing that this was a brother and sister thing. But Chase had better watch his step, even if his words were pretty close to my suspicions. I still had to watch his mouth, or I'd break it, when speaking to Max.

"It makes perfect sense to me. I had no mental abilities ever since Sky left, the Voice came out of nowhere and has only ever helped me. I was all up for keeling over a couple of hours ago, they had broke my spirit. Knowing that they haven't taken something away from that ruined my world gives me strength and hope. It's not false hope! I was once told that even death holds freedom for us, if we are caged we have freedom every time we choose to say no and fight with what little strength we seem to have. No false is hope as long as you don't give up on it."

I have to say that is some darn good birdkid poetry right there. Max could talk her way out of anything, and she could give hope and make us laugh when inside she was breaking. This was why she was leader, not any other mutant kid could pull that off and still smile every day. It was one of the reasons I loved her.

"Max, i find it hard to believe. I remember when you were two, they drugged us up and all sorts till we believed our wings were imaginary. It went so far that we tried to break them off with whatever we could, we told thought the pain was in our heads, and only when we stopped attempting to take off our wings and went silent did they put us back in the cage till we realised what we did. Not everyone survived that, and I want us to survive this. Even if it does mean giving up hope."

I didn't know what to say, this was so intense. But I wanted to help Max, and yet I couldn't, just like I couldn't when they experimented on her. I felt helpless.

As if sensing my frustration and anger all of my confused bubbling emotions, Max looked at me and smiled a genuine smile.

Chase continued talking though as Max looked at me. "And what if they're controlling you?"

Max's face hardened and she patted Total on Angels lap before turning to face us all.

"They may have created me and been able to do what they want with me, but I have control to say enough and give up. I have control of myself because I'm fed up of always being afraid and I have no fear. I am going to hold to my hope no matter what it might or might not be, because I'm not afraid. And that makes me strong enough to control myself."

Max walked up to me and I put my arm around her waist, Chase leaned into Cat, closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Fine have you got a plan? Or are we going in blind?" Chase smiled at his little sister and she ran and gave him a quick hug.

Max spun around so fast that she said. "I'll need you all to trust me on this one. No matter what I say you do."

Everyone nodded as did I, silently adding that I would, only to an extent though.

"Nudge I want you to hack into that computer by and corrupt everything, the entire system, so it's as if they can scrape nothing from it all when they try going to look for backups. Iggy and Gazzy I want you to make the biggest bomb that can make the biggest boom possible for when I get back."

An alarm bell went off in my mind and so it did in everyone else's, we stared at her but it didn't faze her one bit.

"Where are you going?" Even to my own ears my voice sound devoid of any emotion as possible. Oh, I'm scary.

"We can't go through the hallways, we'd get caught too quickly and end up dead, I'll go through the vents, we're only one floor away from our destination. I'll get Sky get back here and we'll blow this joint, literally."

"You can't go on your own." Chase growled.

"I'll be quicker and besides they'll be too focused on getting in here to realize one of us is missing."  
"She's right I can hear them talking in the hallway, they know we're in here." Iggy spoke for the first time in a long time, I was beginning to worry about him. Though he did look a little perked up about being given permission by Max to make a bomb.

I looked up and found something else for why she couldn't go. "The vents welded shut and I forgot to bring a blow torch. You're staying."

Max smiled at me sweetly before stepping under the vent and looking up at it.

"Really cool. I want to watch this." Angel squealed as she swivelled around to look at Max more properly.

I heard Max mutter 'who needs tools', when there was a huge thud.

I looked up to see that the vent had ripped off with pieces of the ceiling clinging to it. Max frowned and raised her hand, as if she was pushing the piece of debris, and moved it in front of the door. She then used her hands to help her 'push' tables, computers, chairs and anything that she could use in front of the door.

"That should hold till I get back, but if they get through your going to have to hold them off for a while. I should be fifteen minutes so be ready by then." Chase and Anthony only nodded at her.

She went to jump up through the shaft but I grabbed her arm and held her still. "You can't go, something might happen."

I looked into her eyes trying to make her see the danger. She was always so self sacrificing, always putting herself last. She would get herself killed. And I couldn't let her out of my sights not after everything that had happened.

Quicker than I could blink Max kissed me full on the lips and wrapped her arms around me. I did the obvious. Kissed her back and held her like I'd never let go, which I wouldn't if I had my way.

I hear Iggy sigh, Gazzy retch, Total complain about missing Akila, Anthony clearing his throat, Nudge and Angel awing, Cat laughing quietly and Chase tapping his foot. But the thing I loved hearing was Max's quick heartbeat as she pulled back slightly and I rested my hand above her beating heart. She was alive, that was all I needed.

Then she whispered in my ear. "I have to do this. I need you to trust me now more than ever, and understand I have to do this. I promise I will come back. No matter what it takes, I'm coming back. I love you, keep them safe."  
She locked eyes with me before vanishing into that shaft. I felt my heart twist but held onto her words for comfort. I had to trust her, I did trust her. I glanced at everyone who was looking at where Max had disappeared.

"Come on guys we have work to do."

That snapped everyone back and while Nudge hacked away and Gazzy and Iggy started taking things apart the rest of us longed around and waited either for and angel to come back, or for the hounds of hell to break in.

Chase walked by and leaned into me so he could murmur something to me.  
"I don't mind you being with my baby sister, but keep it PG13, or I'll neuter you." He practically growled.

"I'm Max just loves being called a baby sister, and like she said she controls herself, whatever she does is of her own choosing."

Chase walked off seething. I must admit annoying Max's brother was fun, he just got ticked off over the slightest thing, it was so easy.

My mind soon strayed back to Max and hoped she would be all right. Banging at the where the door was buried brought me back to my senses for a moment, then I started worrying again.

_She'll be fine Fang. She's stronger now than ever. And she isn't afraid at all. I wont to be like her, I'm fed up of being afraid._

_You will be Angel, we all will soon. Max will show us how. I just hope you're right and she'll be fine. _

**A/N Kay kay I will update by Saturday. It is going to be fun. I promise. Bur R&R and tell me what you thought.**

**I thought it was okay O.O**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N my answer to your question SongoftheWolf is yes. (bye the way cool name) thnx for sticking with this story and this chapter is for you and griffinRose, DracaCountess, BookWormForLife and Rainie16. Hope you all enjoy it and thnx for the reviews and I will try to correct my mistakes so thnx for letting me knw when I made them. Chapter time. XD**

Chapter 36

Max POV

If I have never told you I hate small, cramped in places, now I'm telling you. And if I already have, I'm telling you again. I HATE SMALL, CRAMPED IN PLACES!

Okay now that I had that off my chest, I tried to ignore the cramped in metal panels pressing against my body, and scrambled forward as much as I could. The metal scraped with a metal ting as I dragged myself along. It was like an endless metal tunnel, for where I would always be……. No happy thoughts Max. think of Sky, you're doing this for Sky.

With Sky's name repeating through my mind, I pushed myself as fast as I could. Then it seemed no time at all till I knew I was there. I didn't know how I knew I was, but I just did. It's a sister thing I guess.

I could look down through a metal grate in the ceiling to the dank, grey lab room. It was like any other lab room I'd been in. only in the darkness it was grey instead of white. I could clearly see an isolation tank set up-right in the far corner. That's where they had kept her for all of these years.

I remembered my brief encounter with isolation tanks, they were horrible. You didn't feel tired or awake, sick or okay, you felt, saw and heard nothing. Trapped in your own mind. I had gone nearly mad. I faintly recalled her comment, 'if you call what I'm doing living' and completely understood what she had meant.

There was one scientist in the room and with my revelation came a fresh wave of hot anger. He would be sorry, for ever filling in his job application.

As the scientist walked around he passed under me. I knew what I wanted to do and now thanks to my powerful new power I could.

With the flick of my hand and the focus of my mind, the metal grating and a huge chunk of the ceiling came off with a rip and landed right on top of the darn whitecoat. I hoped down onto the piece of debris, hopefully breaking more bones.

"Disgusting bottom feeders." I spat as I walked over to the isolation tank.

There were a bunch of buttons, but not everyone was a genius, because there was a simple button labelled open. I pressed it and the machine hissed and let out steam. I did a lot of sciencey stuff and made a lot of beeping noises, like a sci-fi movie, I could see wires and needles being removed from flesh and eventually the entire to p cover slid away to reveal my sister.

She looked so pale and thin, she was only 15 when she 'died' and she looked womanly grown up, but terribly fragile. I felt the urge to cry, for the fact she had lived like this, for the fact that I hadn't come sooner, that I had abandoned her.

I gently lifted her up and moved her out of the damn machine, she stretched out limply on the floor and I stroked her face. Calling her name over and over in my mind. Hoping she would hear me.

Her eyelids began to flutter and her fingers twitched. She was wearing white joggers and t-shirt that were damp from the isolation tank. I ignored her bruised flesh, that was bruised like mine from the dreams, and placed a kiss n her forehead.

"Open your eyes slowly, it always hurts at first."

"Max." I heard her whisper as soft as the wind. Her eyes squinted up at me and I closed my eyes, steeling myself so I wouldn't cry. I felt her hand rest shakily on my cheek and I clutched her to me.

I snapped my eyes open and stared into deepened grey eyes of trauma, but they were fill with love. One tear escaped and she wiped it away with her thumb and smiled at me.

"You came." her voice was just as lovely and reassuring as I remembered it.

"Yes, just like you came for me. And now we have to get everyone out of here. Can you move or shall I carry you?"

I wasn't freakishly strong, but I was stronger than the average teenager, and she was really thin and probably didn't way much, I could manage.

I was about to scoop her up without and answer when she pushed up on her arms and fluidly stood up and stretched.

"It feels good to move around." She grinned at me and suddenly clutched me in a tight hug.

"If I only had a few hours left I would spend it with you fitting for our freedom." She smiled into my eyes and I felt all of the sadness since her 'death' dissipate.

"Well now we'll have the rest of our lives to catch up." I affirmed.

She gave a little nod and sad smile. It was probably because we had missed so much.

"We have to go, now. I'm sure Chase and Anthony are just dying to see you again."

I was so happy, I was still in the Arena, but I was just so happy.

I opened the door and looked left then right, it was clear.

"The others are in a room at the end of this hall. They might need our help by now." I took a step out and made sure Sky was with me every step of the way. We were sharing minds and I could feel she was hesitant. Well wouldn't you if you had spent years feeling nothing and could now feel everything? I would.

I kept a close eye, and there was something guarding about her expression. Like she had seen too many gruesome lives and death was inevitable. I shook off the foreboding sensation creeping at my mind. And tried to come up with a way to keep Sky and everyone safe and out of danger, if possible in a situation like this.

**A/N soz this is short. Next will be longer promise. And this story is nearly over, do you guys want a sequel, prequel or both or which one first. The sequel will be the next in the series and the prequel will be of when max was in the Arena and her life with Sky and Chase.**

**Let me know asap so I can start working on them. Any suggestions, helpful criticism and whatnot is welcome. Just review and tell me how I'm doin. XD **


	37. Chapter 37

**A/n okay I know its been a long wait and you've been in deadly anticipation of this update. I also made it longer seeing as my chapters have seemed to be getting shorter and shorter lately, so enjoy. And I got one more thing to say. "GET 'EM MAX!!" Pheew glad I got that out of my system. Now where were we…….**

Chapter37

I ran down the hall with my not so dead sister by my side. It felt great to be fighting for freedom with her. Last time I was just a child and she tried to protect me but now I was older and stronger and could fight with her.

Our feet pounded rhythmically against the white linoleum floor. I was shocked to find that everything was so, so, what's the word? Oh yeah, white! My breathing was evenly spaced but compared to Sky, hers was a rapid intake and exhale. I was slightly worried about her. She caught me sneaking glances at her and grinned in encouragement. She wasn't perfectly okay, but she could last.

I was entirely focused in my mind, with my newly mental ability I was reaching out ahead with my mind. We were nearly to the barricaded door, behind which my flock was waiting for us. We rounded a corner to fin eight Wing Beaters tearing at the door, including Lash. Oh, I would enjoy this very much.

"Hey check this out." I nudged Sky and motioned to the Wing Beaters. She watched fascinated as with a flick of two fingers, the metal doors and flooring ripped up and flew at the Wing Beaters. Ah sweet victory! I was murderously pleased when the full side of a metal door connected with Lash's face as he looked up, taking him down the end of the hall with the other Wing Beaters.

I stood there for four minutes straight grinning at my deadly piece of art (pun intended), Sky was laughing herself silly, nearly peeing her pants. The door cracked open slightly and Anthony stuck his head out. He glanced at me, down the hall, then back at me.

"You are one evil little girl." He stated then he continued in a casual voice, "oh, hi Sky." Almost as though we hadn't thought her dead for years. Though it didn't matter cause Anthony got ploughed down by Chase who ran out the room, practically vaulting over his head. Chase ran up to us and pulled Sky into a tight hug, he had tears in his eyes as he pulled me into the hug. He clutched us tightly with out hurting us murmuring, "your safe, your alive, I have you all back."

I pulled away back from him and hugged my flock, I pushed Fang away when he tried to sneak a kiss.

"Great reunion over now lets get moving, before we get caught, AGAIN!" I was getting anxious as I snapped out my orders. Something wasn't right, and I know that sounds like a cheesy, corny film line. But it's the truth, I felt like there was something terrible that was going to happen and ruin my happy bubble. I had a sneaky suspicion that whatever it was it would happen to Sky. That was all the more reason I needed to get her out of there,

I led them all through the endless white corridors, it was like a bloody maze. If u turned one corridor you were guaranteed the next on would look the same. We had to stop a couple time to kick some baddy ass. Which we were gladly enjoying. We even found an emergency exit map in one of the same corridors. Needless to say that made our escaping a whole lot easier.

Everyone was starting to get tired when we found the fire exit on the thirteenth floor. I tried to open it but it was locked, I tried to use my funky new abilities and all I got was a electric, sizzling in my mind. Somehow the white coats had managed to secure it. Crafty little buggers weren't they.

I stormed down one of the corridors passing over either dead or unconscious bodies. I randomly leaned against a door and tried to think.

Fate it seemed was helping me today because as I leaned on the door, it swung open and landed me on my bum. But that was fates way of showing me business plush conference room, where one wall was made up of nothing but windows. Yippee!!!

"Oh goody!" I was practically beaming at my good fortune as the others ran over to me in the room. Angel was practically in stitches cause my mind was being so random. Hey how do you think I survived this hell hole in the first place? I took every random thing as a good sign and decided that the white coats could stick it. You try it, it works wonders if you're a mutant being held by made scientists.

We walked into the room and I looked for something to break the window. Then a thought came to me, new freaky powers….. Hello?!

"Right when we get out, Gazzy and Iggy I want you two to detonate that bomb you put together for me."

Iggy and the Gasman shared a nervous glance, if that's even possible, that is. "What is it?" I asked as Gazzy rubbed his hand on his trousers and Iggy fiddled with the bulge in his jacket, which I was hoping was the detonator.

"There was some problems….Max." Gazzy started, as he hesitated Iggy carried on for him.

"We ran out of parts and the best we could do with so little equipment is make the bomb with a limited timer. If we put it on the roof it'll have a strong enough blast to knock off the first couple floors and bring everything else down too."

This seemed harmless enough but even I could see the problem with this. If the blast was as strong as they said it was and with a limited timer, whoever put the bomb up there might not be able to get away in time.

My brain started ticking away in that amazing way it has. Fang and Chase knowing me the way they did both said "NO!" at the same time as the idea came to me.

I looked at them innocently and smiled.

I tried to reason with them. "I'm the most logical choice. I can use my mind to get it halfway and I can use my super speed to get out of range before the blast. It'll be a cinch. Then we can all go home and me and Anthony'll make tea."

"When we survive this we don't want to die from your cooking." Gazzy muttered.

I grinned at him and tapped his shoulder with my fist. "I've got better over the months so don't worry."

Before my brother and boyfriend, or anyone else for that matter could protest, I walked to the window. "People stand back so you don't get hit by flying furniture" I commanded as I flung my arms out.

I concentrated on everything in the room, felt the weight of it all press down on me as it lifted up off the floor. I thought of the force I needed and remembered watching the force of thing crashing, like lorries. With that thought in my mind I threw everything that was levitating at the window. There was an ear-splitting smash and tinkle as glass fell lightly to the floor.

"Beautiful." I whispered as I leaned into the open window and felt the wind pull at my hair and feathers.

The wind was an open invitation calling my name, it was washing away all of the degradation I had felt. I wasn't fooling myself when I knew I had a bad back with spinal damage, or that Sky was peachy keen when she wasn't. But the sky was open for us, we had the ability to soar into it and never end. That was our freedom, the one good sole thing that had come from the scientists giving us wings.

I looked across to find Sky leaning into the air like me, her beautiful burgundy wings spreading slowly, the feathers rustling as though the wind was pulling her.

She saw me watching her and a huge grin lit up our faces. "It's been so long." She murmured.

Before fate decided to stop helping us I went to Gazzy and Iggy to find out how the bomb worked. When they had filled me in we all took the skies. Anthony was holding Total because he was getting tired and Chase hovered by Sky. We flew A couple hundred feet up and away. When they were at a safe distance I swooped down angling my wings. I kept my eyes on the roof and my fingers fiddled with the buttons. The max time I could have was two minutes forty five. So as I dived at my mid point I hit the count down and through the bomb with the force of my mind onto the roof, quickly turning around and speeding away to join my flock.

I began to count down in my head. 1 min 22 seconds I was at when Angel's voice popped into my head. _Max, Cara is by the docks and wants to know which building we're at._

_She'll know soon enough Ange._

I was on 1 minute when the bomb went off earlier. Letting Cara know which building was the bad one and shocking me as I waited for something bad to happen.

**A/N again I apologise for the wait. My life is hectic right about now. Soz. So tell me what you think. I am trying to update quicker, and soon, too soon this story shall end. *starts sobbing* But review and tell me what you think.**

**Love you all :D**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N I am updating as quick as I can just for you all because I made you wait for so long on the last chapter. Also the MR Awards are open and A Haunted Past has been nominated so if you think this story is good enough please vote. WARNING: this is a bit sad and I am sorry for what happens but it is my plot.**

Chapter 38

The blast barely winded me, it just pushed me forward, which was a strange sensation to be feeling in the air. I spun around in mid flight just in time to see the top three floors disintegrate and the rest of the building to collapse in on its self, it reminded me of Chenga.

I could hear Iggy laughing and relishing in his handy work.

"TIMBRE!" Gazzy yelled in imitation of a lumber jack.

I grinned and we all basked in the beautiful destruction of a hell hole on earth. How's that for poetry? I might be better than Shakespeare if this carries on.

The rest of my family hovered around me. Cat looked like a cat that had been spooked and her hair was on end as she clung to Chase trying to not look at the floor below us.

Anthony started dancing in the air tossing Total and catching him, Nudge and Angel joined in laughing in joy. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and the pressure of a back stilled my wings. With iron bands supporting me in the air I turned my head to the side and came face to face to his smirking mouth.

"It's over. You finally took them down, I hope your happy." I smiled at him and realised that I was happy, more so than when I was dangling the Director above the ground in Germany.

"I am." I managed just before our lips clashed and we kissed in mid air.

Through the haze of my giddiness from the amazing kiss and the destruction of my hated enemy, something stirred in my mind. I dying light, filled with pain. I pulled out of the kiss with a frown. Pushing myself away from Fang and resuming to flap my wings I took stock of my family.

My eyes found Chase first who was in the middle of kissing Cat in a reassurance, no wonder he hadn't growled at Fang for touching me. The kids were still dancing madly in the air with Anthony and the two pyros were still boasting about their bomb.

On instinct I folded my wings in so I began to drop. There was something very wrong, and I was missing someone very important. My sudden decent shocked Fang and drew my brothers attention.

I heard shouts as I twisted whilst falling so I could see the ground below me as I angled myself like a streamlined bullet.

A shaky flying figure cam into view after two minutes of falling. I used my wings to pushed myself past it and when I was two feet under it I twisted so I could open my wings and catch her at the same time.

During the entire excitement of the explosion, none of us, me, had noticed that Sky had slowly begun to descend against her will. She was nearly entirely limp in my arms. I flapped double time to keep us aloft but we were still getting closer to the ground.

_Sky! What's wrong? Please stay with me, please be okay._

My only reply was a simple fluttering in my mind. I felt my heart constrict and my lungs nearly ceased.

I was soon joined by the rest of my flock Fang helped me carry Sky to the ground, two hundred feet away Cat jumped out of Chase's arms and landed with cat like grace. We landed in an old playground that seemed to be abandoned with wild grass growing wherever it could.

Laying Sky on the ground as gently as we could, I was still trying to hold her to me through our mind link.

Chase had a sad look on his face, so did everyone else, like they knew what was happening and had accepted it. I wouldn't.

I checked Sky for any injuries that I may have missed. There were none. Perhaps she had internal injuries. But deep down I knew that wasn't it, and that made me even angrier and sadder.

Chase clasped a hand on my shoulder, in defiance I shook it off. No, this couldn't be happening. Not now. Not ever. For gods sake I had just got her back. Fate it seemed, hated me.

Tears tracked down my face as I knew what was happening and didn't even bother to hide my grief.

"Sky……" I whispered heartbrokenly. That cause her mind to flutter strongly in my mind and for her eyelids to lift suddenly.

"I…. I didn't want tell you. It's why they kept me in the tank." She smiled wanly at us and I thought she would die right there and then.

She took a deep breath before speaking again. "I could only live in that damn tank, but that isn't living. So thank you for giving me freedom." Her voice was fading.

With a sudden pang I realised the significance of her words.

I stared blankly in to her eyes, for the second time in my life I was watching that inner life fade.

"So its my fault, again. I took you out of that tank and now your dieing. I am so sorry." In that one moment I truly hated myself, inside I was beating myself and all of those silly ideas of growing up with my sister taunted me, because in the end I had killed her for the second time in my life. I was a monster.

Sky tried to grab my hand but I was to angry at my own stupidity to take notice. Everyone was staring at me in horrified shock.

"No, no Max. That's not it, I've been hiding in your mind since you lost me and you have always held yourself back form enjoying life. don't do that again. And you didn't kill me. Even in death we have freedom. You gave me the chance to use my wings, after so long of being deprived of flying, I have felt the wind and sun on my face, and I have seen you grow up and the Arena fall. I could never be more happier than right now. You and Chase will just have to live a good enough life for the both of us." She spoke with force that I dint know she was capable of, she gripped Chase's and my hand with the same amount of force. "I love you both. Chase be a good boy, and behave with Cat."

Chase nodded with a sad smile and kissed her forehead. After a few more seconds her eyes stared up at the sky not seeing anything. Because she was dead…. I could feel more room in my mind as though the little niche she had occupied had just become more vacant.

That dead look on her expression made my world cave in. Chase was crying silently and Cat clutched his head to her chest smoothing his hair, trying to comfort him. Angel was crying, whilst the Gasman held her trying to stop his own tears. Anthony and Iggy were in pretty much the same position, standing upright, eyes closed, faces masked in gloom. Total was snivelling in Nudges lap as she wiped her tears away in his fur. Fang caught my eye, he was about to walk towards me when I brought my emotional wall down around me. He must have seen the blank expression I now wore.

Looking at my once beloved sister I smiled sadly . I reached up a still hand and brushed her eyelids closed. I leaned over her and kissed her forehead gently. When I was finished I climbed to my feet. My eyes travelled from her form, that appeared to be sleeping because she looked so peaceful, to the sky. My eyes closed as I tilted my head back.

"Your free now, and always will be. As you always told me in death we hold freedom, in that freedom we can fly in the endless skies." I barely whispered these words. And call me mad if you will, but the gentle wind that blew across my cheek I imagined was Sky hand and her way of saying goodbye.

I wouldn't hate myself, because I knew she would want this. To die free, than live a life that seems not worth living at all. At least I knew she was really dead this time.

My shoulders began to shake as I lost the strength to keep up my wall. Too soon I was sobbing endless tears, Fang held me to him and everyone huddled in a group hug. Feathers and dog fur and tiger stripes encompassed me, and I was comforted by them all.

By the time Cara pulled up with numerous black SUVs and Land rovers tailing her, Abbey, Asidill, Mom, Ella, Jeb and Akila.

Total ran over to Akila and they started licking each other. Mom ran over to us dragging Ella and started pulling us into a hug.

Jeb cast a look around and paused when he came across Sky's body. My eyes fixed on Sky's still form, my mom got distracted by the kids and didn't see her till she followed my gaze.

Even Cara seemed unsure on what to do. I walked up to the SUV carrying a crying Angel and with Fang wrapping and arm around my waist.

"Clean up the area and check for survivors, but don't leave her here."

Cara looked at me and nodded. "I'm sorry. I know what its like." The look in Cara's eyes was genuine. I walked with the rest of my family to the SUV I had all of the little kids in the back with me and I hugged them. They may not have been related to Sky but they were still just kids and weren't meant to live through this shit. That's why I was here, because I would help them through it. Chase gave me a kiss on the cheek before resting his head on Cat and falling asleep with her. Anthony and Iggy opted to go in the other car with Total and Akila, Fang sat in the passenger seat in front of me and we all drove off.

Hoping that this would be the worst experience in our short lives. I may have lost Sky, and for her I would be happy that she had a taste of freedom. I wouldn't blame myself and I would live my life well enough for two of us.

I closed my eyes after twenty minutes and fell asleep with the kids in the back of the SUV.

**A/N Don't have a go at me for killing Sky off, because I am just as sad as you. But it was part of the plot and it's the reason why Max will always be that bit more stronger than anyone. **

**But tell me what you think. Its not over yet there's one or two chapters left and I'm still thinking about doing a prequel, sequel, both or an entirely new story. Tell me what you prefer. Though knowing me I might do all of them. **

**Review and I will be able to start sooner on the next story. :)**


	39. The End not a chapter but read it

**A/N kay people thanx for supporting this story and I am letting you know this has finished and I will be doing a prequel and maybe a sequel and that I have a new story on the way.**

**Hope you have enjoyed this story and I have enjoyed writing it with so few flames wow I am lucky.**

**I take a bow and so should you. We ROCK!! XD**


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